Keeping Promises
by Peach Kebab
Summary: (Set after BOTFA) Dwarves flock back to Erebor in full force, excited about their new home. Inca and her siblings also join the migration after mysteriously vanishing from the Blue Mountains in their childhood. When they return to Erebor will she be reunited with childhood friends or will they have forgotten her? (FiliXOC) Favourite, follow and review please! x
1. The Wooden Soldier

**"There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place."**  
 **― J.K. Rowling**

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The Wooden Soldier

" _It's my turn to play with the soldier!" She whined trying to snatch the wooden toy away from the boy who had taken it from her only moments before. "I had it first."_

" _But you've already played with it and it's my toy." The boy argued back and pulled it away from her and back into his lap where he made the soldier walk along on the floor by bouncing it with his hand._

" _It's not your toy."_

" _Is to."_

" _Is not."_

 _The toy ended up in a tug of war between the young dwarflings both pulling so that their backs were leaning against the floor before being pulled so that they were folded over their crossed legs as the other pulled back. They were almost taking it in turns to pull and their childish squabble was quite endearing._

" _Hey! That's my sister's toy!" Another young dwarfling the same age as the girl and the male version of her came stumbling up to the pair._

" _No it's not it's my brothers!" A fourth dwarfling, despite being a couple of years younger than the other three, hurried up to stand behind the male that was fighting for the toy. He attempted to cross his arms to look tough but instead got confused and ended up hugging myself._

" _I think you'll find it is my toy." An adult dwarf stepped towards the four fighting and easily plucked the wooden shoulder from being pulled apart and briefly checked for any damage. The two dwarflings sat across from each other looked up in innocent confusion as the toy was taken from their hands whilst the two young dwarfs that stood next to their favoured dwarfling, or in other words their sibling, also looked in confusion but none of them protested._

 _Then two other adult dwarfs came to stand next to the first and looked down at the children with loving smiles. Both of the new adults were female and they stood on either side of the male._

" _How did you stumble across my toy soldier?" The male asked softly, crouching down, without a trace of annoyance or anger._

" _He found it in your room Uncle." The boy sat said pointing to his younger brother who was still stood defensively behind him._

" _No I didn't you did." The brother said pointing down at his sibling on the floor._

 _The male adult chuckled at the boys small squabble and then moved to the other pair of dwarflings._

" _And where did you find it?" Again, his words weren't harsh yet the child clearly didn't want to disappoint or anger him by the way she responded._

" _I found it on the floor next to him. He wasn't using it so I thought I could play with it." She said pointing to the dwarf that she had fought with for the toy._

" _It's true." Her twin brother said from behind her._

 _The man shaked his head good naturedly at the children and stood up to stand with the older females – the children's mothers._

" _I think it's time we all went home for dinner, you can play again tomorrow." He said looking to the females for agreement._

" _I think that's a wonderful idea brother." The female said on his left and then held her hand out for the two boys. "Come on Fili, Kili, let's get home we've got rabbit for supper."_

" _Rabbit!" The two boys said together sharing wide grins and the older one leapt off the floor taking his mother's hand in his whilst his younger brother held her other hand._

" _I agree with Dis." The other mother said smiling at her good friends and then holding her own hand out for her children. "You too Inca, Noly, we've got pheasant."_

 _Much like the other two children, the twins squealed in excitement and anticipation for their favourite meal and the girl jumped up off the floor, them both taking their mothers hands like the brothers before them._

" _I guess we'll see each other again tomorrow for more dwarfling drama." Dis said laughing and her brother hummed in agreement, sharing her smile._

" _I'm sure." The other mother said and then turned her attention to the dwarflings that were latched on to both of her hands. "Are you going to say goodbye?"_

" _Bye Fili! Bye Kili!" They said together, using their free hand to wave at the brothers shyly._

" _Bye Inca! Bye Noly!" The brothers said repeating the hand gesture and then the younger dwarf putting his thumb back in his mouth out of habit._

" _Bye Thorin, Dis." The single mother said nodding to each of them with a smile._

" _Bye Astrid, say hello to Sady for me." Dis said also nodding with a grin._

" _Aye me too." Her brother said and with a final nod and smile the two familes went their separate ways from the play area in the nursery._

" _Mummy?" Inca asked looking up from her mothers side._

" _Yes Inca?"_

" _If Fili and Kili are Princes does that mean that they'll be King and Queen?" Astrid laughed at the prospect of the two brothers being married and ruling together._

" _No darling. When Fili becomes King he will marry a Princess and Kili will stay a Prince but will advise his older brother." She didn't want to get into the tricky politics of a monarchy with a four year old so tried to keep it as simple as possible._

" _Am I a princess? Can I marry Fili and become Queen?" Inca's mother was a little more shocked at that proposal but she knew her daughter wasn't being serious and found it rather sweet._

" _Inca you can do whatever you want my darling." She said softly and the little girls face lit up._

" _What about me? I thought I was going to marry you." Noly said from her other side, annoyed that he was being overlooked._

" _Noly you can't marry your sister." She said with a chuckle, she loved her three children and these two certainly knew how to make her laugh._

" _I don't want to marry you anyway. Fili's much more handsome." Inca said stubbornly, sticking her tongue out at her brother._

" _Fine I'll marry Kili instead, he has much better hair than you." He said copying his sister in their tit for tat game._

" _Come, come you too. We must hurry up or our dinner will go cold."_

 _The two dwarflings instantly stopped their squabble and began eagerly hurrying their mother home for dinner._

" _Hurry up mummy! That bird won't eat itself!" Inca said laughing as she tugged on her mother's hand. "And I want tomorrow to come quickly so I can see Fili again!"_

 _Young love at its finest. The twins didn't have a care in the world and were some of the happiest children in the Blue Mountains, never failing to say hello to anyone they passed. The pair never left each other's side and did absolutely everything together; they both loved their baby sister more than anything and when they had first seen her in their mothers arms, they had both vowed to protect her forever._

 _It was wonderful to see young dwarves without responsibility and having a good and happy childhood as so many lost their own in the inferno that Smaug created._


	2. Nearly Home

**"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."**

 **– Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan**

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 **Wow nearly 100 views and I've only posted the prologue! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story, especially as it might be a bit slow to start and I haven't got a definite plot line yet!**

 **Big thanks to: lovingthisbook, firefoxxe, alexma, Live4dance, Fililover95, Ec1aire, alice94 and hannew for following this story!**

 **lovingthisbook – Thank you so much! I love young durins too and I'm glad the summary was good enough to get you to try this out because I'm not too great at them!**

 **Tiphen – Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!**

 **alexma – Me too! Thanks and I'll try and update weekly I just wanted to get a second chapter up as fast as I could, I hope you enjoy it!**

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Nearly Home

 _"Wake up Noly! Wake up!" Inca said in a hushed tone whilst bouncing on the bundle of blankets that covered her twin brother. She pulled back the covers and climbed in with him, gently tapping his face to make him open his eyes instead of just groaning at her and pretending to stay asleep. His eyes fluttered open and a soft smile appeared, replicating the one his sister wore._

 _"What is it?" He said curiously. "Why are you up so early?"_

 _"It's Mummy's birthday!" She said so excited that she shook with glee. His mouth opened in remembrance of the date and the plans that they had made a couple of days before. "Come on!"_

 _Noly clambered out of bed along with his sister. It had been their sixth birthday only a month before and their mother had made them a giant cake, even Sady who was two years old had said a slurred 'Happy Birthday' to them and they were determined to make one hundred and twenty first birthday one to remember._

 _They ran out of their shared room and into the kitchen, trying to make their footsteps as quite as possible so they didn't risk waking anyone up. They set about making preparations, Noly brought the present that they'd got her into the room and set it on the table whilst Inca turned the oven on and pushed some bacon into it._

 _The smell soon became intoxicating and the time fell away from them quickly as the smell of sizzling bacon filled the room and began billowing out of the open window._

 _"How long should we leave it in for do you reckon?" Noly said as they leaned on the counter watching the clock and ignoring the orange glow that was flickering at the see through door._

 _"Well it's been in for half an hour it will probably be okay now." Inca said, making it sound like she was an expert and knew exactly what she was talking about when, in reality, she was just guessing._

 _They looked down at the oven and their eyes grew wide with fear at the light that shouldn't have been there. Inca gingerly opened the oven door and a surge of black smoke tumbled out into the room and began hovering up to the ceiling where it dispersed away from the impact, rippling across it in dark waves._

 _"Get mum!"_

 _Noly ran out of the room towards his mother's chambers and burst through the door. He jumped on the bed and much like his sister did to him he jumped up and down on the sleeping figure of his mother in a hasty attempt to wake her. She opened her eyes and smiled softly at her son thinking he was going to wish her a happy birthday but when she smelled smoke and saw the terror in his eyes she sat up._

 _"Darling, what's wrong?" She asked, trying to stay calm and kind to the child._

 _"I'm so sorry mummy, we didn't mean too, it was an accident!" He blurted out and Astrid quickly got out of bed and ran to the kitchen. The word 'accident' being all she needed to understand that they had either broken something or worse._

 _Entering the kitchen she saw Inca holding a tray out as far as she could from her with the contents set ablaze. Luckily she had had the sense to pick the scolding tray with a towel to avoid burning herself. But that did nothing to cease Astrid's maternal fear and protective instinct that rushed through her like the fire in her daughters hands._

 _"INCA!" She screamed and ran towards the girl grabbing the tray from her without thinking of her own safety and chucked it in the sink letting a tsunami of cool water rain onto the fire extinguishing it with a hiss. She turned around whilst the steam from the drowned fire was overrunning the black smoke that was now dispersing around the room._

 _"Don't ever do that to me again." She said pulling her baby girl into her chest and wrapping her arms around her tightly._

 _"I'm sorry Mummy…" Inca burst into tears along with her twin brother and he ran towards them and joined the hug._

 _"We just wanted to let you have the best birthday ever." Noly sobbed and their mother stroked their heads whilst giving a small laugh between the tears that were falling from her own eyes at the thought of losing her children and them trying their best to make her happy._

 _"My loves, every day you are with me is the best birthday I'll ever have. I love you so much, more than life…"_

* * *

"Noly wake up come on! The celebrations will be over before we get there and I don't want to have to put up with Sady's boasting that she saw the new King and we didn't!" Inca moaned in her twin's ear continuously poking him awake despite his drowsy groans.

He rolled over on his bedroll to face her, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. She was lying on her side with her head propped up on her hand looking at him, her bright blue eyes glittering in the sunlight that filtered through the leaves of the tree canopy. He stared back with his same eyes, his dark auburn hair tied back with a few braids running along his head and disappearing into the bun, whilst his sisters cascaded over her chest and pooled at her own bedroll in a sea of deep hair.

"It's only because you want to see that Prince you vowed to marry." Noly teased pushing her shoulder back playfully with a smile. She gave a fake scowl at him but her own face broke out into a grin.

"That was decades ago, and don't forget you said you wanted to marry his brother." She raised an eyebrow at him smirking at his very real pout but they both broke out into laughter.

"I agree that was ages ago, let's forget I ever said that."

"I wonder if he's forgotten it." She giggled and he gave her a warning look but she elaborated anyway. "If I recall correctly brother, the day after you kissed him on the cheek and spent the afternoon holding hands until mother had to prize you off of him."

Noly rolled over onto his back to look up at the sky shaking his head with embarrassment and trying to cover his face as he laughed.

"We were five years old and he was three! It's not like it _meant_ anything."

"Well let's find out when we _finally_ get there if he's still up for marriage." Inca grinned and jumped to her feet holding her hand out for her brother and pulling him off the floor. "Come on. Sady will kill us for leaving her on the journey."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong about having a pub crawl with my twin sister. She's probably jealous she didn't get to see you drunk again." He winked and she pushed him laughing.

She was never not laughing and rarely got angry. Noly on the other hand was easily agitated and had grown very protective over his twin and baby sister. But no matter how much Sady would try to cheer him up if he got upset only Inca managed to do it, her gleaming starlight smile would never fail to make him happy again.

But after the 'incident' Inca found herself having to cheer both of her siblings up on a daily basis for many years whilst she had to swallow her own feelings and stay strong to look after them. She would often walk in to find Sady crying and Noly getting into stealing and crime in his grief.

Thankfully though, they had gotten past that stage in their life and after bailing her twin out of jail for the seventh time she had had enough and they left the Blue Mountains without leaving a trace of them behind.

But when they heard that Erebor had been reclaimed and there was a mass migration of dwarves from the Blue Mountains they decided to go back to their kin and be where they truly belonged, and who they belonged with.

* * *

"How long now?" Noly whined, claiming that his legs ached as they trudged through the thick forest.

They were travelling along the old forest road that ran through Mirkwood and were nearly at the end of it. The cursed forest was slowly being healed and the spiders had been killed at their sources by the elves that also resided in the forest. Although there was still danger in the forest aat present it was the quickest way to get to the Lonely Mountain when travelling East and the coronation of the new King Under the Mountain was in one day so they had no other choice.

"We're nearly there and look the wagon tracks are still fresh so we aren't even that far behind. But we _will_ get there in time, I am not missing a chance to party." Inca said pointing at the ground at the lines engraved in the dirt criss-crossing each other. They were from the carts and wagons that had travelled with the majority of Erebor's dwarves from the Blue Mountain and they were surrounded by footprints.

Noly groaned at her response but didn't complain further knowing she'd just tell him off for being negative as she was almost always positive and optimistic no matter how bad the situation.

"Why didn't we bring ponies?" He asked instead trying not to whine but instead just having a curious tone to his voice, like a child does.

"We both know that Fluffy and Fang wouldn't have made it, they're too old now I wonder how Farmer Joe is doing with them." Inca said trailing off wondrously she did love the two ponies but travelling half way across the road was not going to work out for them and she didn't want to cry over her steed because Noly would surely tease her about it forever.

"Hey you can never be too old, I mean look at you." Noly laughed at his joke even more so when Inca facepalmed whilst giggling.

"Noly, I hate to break it to you…" She said dropping her voice to a much lower tone like it was going to be really bad news and her twins face grew solumn as if he was mentally preparing himself. "… But we're the same age."

Silent pause. Inca burst out laughing at her brother and his dumb comment as well as the way his face screwed up when he realised his mistake and the fact that his sister was taunting him over it.

"Oh shut up." He grumbled but it was to no avail as Inca kept laughing about his idiotic statement, that backfired horribly, for the rest of the day; and just when he thought she had dropped the subject she'd bring it right back.

* * *

Despite the dank forest, the pair seemed to be leaving light where they walked with their shared smiles and laughter never failing to have a bit of fun and although they had grown up dramatically they still seemed to not have a care in the world, like they were still the innocent and pure children that they once were. But then everything changed.

"What do you think Erebor will be like? Just think about it, Mother and Father used to live there – do you think we'll get their house? I mean it's technically ours now." Inca shrugged at the question, she wasn't sure what they should expect but there Mother used to talk of it as a wonderful place and would often tell them tales of its otherworldly beauty that lay in the rock walls.

"I hope so! I mean I'd rather not be homeless." She said smirking. "I'm sure we'll get some form of home, Sady might have already bagged us one."

"Knowing her she would've demanded it." The pair fell into easy laughter again and then the light at the end of the tunnel could be seen. Or rather, the light at the end of the forest path. They fell silent and began slowly increasing their walking pace to reach the open until they broke into a run to get out of the forest that they'd been in for days. They needed fresh air.

Breaking through the circle of branches and leaves where the forest edge was neatly cut into one line they stood, dumbfounded at the sight in front of them.

Birds flew in the sky, chirping with one another in merry song; the breeze gently brushed through their hair lapping at the ends and bringing them to lazily flow behind their heads; the mountain stood cold, solitary, proud but somehow full of life.

Despite the distance and the intimidating shadows it cast upon its jagged rock and the ground below it, they could tell that it was a strong place again, a place full of prosperity and joy – it even looked homely if a little rough around the edges, but the whole dwarven culture and language was like that. It seemed fitting and they were drawn towards it despite never seeing it before in their lives except in their dreams and imagination.

"By my beard…" Noly said, his breath taken away from the landscape around them, shiningin the suns warm light.

"You don't have a beard Noly…" Inca quipped but she too could not draw her eyes away from the mountain and so she let the wind carry her quiet words.

"By my stubble…" Noly reiterated, correcting himself but he was still gobsmacked and his voice conjured up a tone to match it.

"Much more accurate."

The twins stood for a while gaping at the mountain, basking in its glory and for some unknown reason feeling incredibly proud. Maybe it was despite a dragon taking the mountain away, it held fast and stayed standing so that the dwarvish race – the proud, stubborn, strong willed dwarvish race – could take back their homeland, could reclaim their Kingdom despite all odds and carry on from where they were cut off.

"I can't believe a dragon lived there a couple of months back."

"Well even dragons have their endings, just like everything."

Inca suddenly snapped herself out of her stupor realizing that they were wasting time and that they needed to move on. She clicked her fingers in front of her brother's eyes causing him to blink and shake his head, but it gained her his attention.

"Come on! Night is falling we need to get going, we should at least aim for Laketown." She said shouldering her backpack that had been forgotten about on the floor, its craftsmanship nothing compared to the beauty of the natural world.

"Can we not just stay here and stare at it a little while longer?"

"No come on." She said sternly grabbing his hand and pulling him into a walk. But then she quickly turned her head to look at him with a grin. "I'm sure it'll look much better up close."

That was all the incentive he needed and he began dragging her along with enthusiasm with the promise that the view would get better and the safety net of food that he knew he would get and was his usual motive to do anything.

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 **Hope everyone enjoyed that chapter even if not much happened. I'm just trying to introduce the characters and their close sibling relationship! Also, reviews are always appreciated!**


	3. Stone Gates

**"One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure."**

 **\- William Feather**

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 **Big thanks to** **xoulblade for following this story!**

 **lovingthisbook - Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it! You'll find out what happened at some point I promise, I just can't promise when I'll put it in the story but it will be soonish!**

 **Aranel Mereneth - I will definetly keep the sibling/family relationships quite close and tight. I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

 **Guest - Aha, I don't know if I'm actually going to make them a couple or if I'm going to include Tauriel. Let me know what you think!**

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Stone Gates

 _"Inca! Noly! Happy Christmas!" The two brothers ran towards the other two when they entered the training ground._

 _Snow was lightly falling and was sprinkled in the twins dark auburn hair. The pair turned around to face the other two running towards them and mirrored their grins._

 _"Happy Christmas!" Inca shouted and put the practise wooden sword on the sand and walked up to hug the other boys._

 _It was their eighth year and although it was Christmas day her and Noly decided to go and spar in the afternoon for a bit of fun and to get out of the house after the destruction they had caused at lunch. Although it was cold and white flakes were lining the ground the twins were only in their wine-red cotton tunics and trousers along with their fur boots which they wore most of the time despite the weather. The two young princes however had big coats on and gloves to keep them warm from the harsh bite of the winter wind._

 _"Inca are you not cold? Here let me give you my coat." Fili asked suddenly, pulling away from the hug but still keeping his hands on her arms. Noly rolled his eyes at the golden haired dwarfs fussing, it was like they were married or something._

 _"Fili I'm fine, I don't need your coat. Besides if I took it you'd be cold." Inca replied stopping Fili from removing his furs, insisting that she didn't need it._

 _"It's alright I've got another coat it's called Kili's." He smirked and they burst into giggles whilst said dwarf shouted in protest and crossed his arms, making a point of wrapping his own jacket tighter around himself. "And what sort of Dwarf would I be to let a lady like yourself go cold?"_

 _"Fili, I'm no lady." Inca began but her smile remained._

 _"You got that right." Noly muttered but she hit him on the arm anyway._

 _"We're eight and you're only a year older than us. There's no need to speak all proper yet." She smiled. There would come a day when Fili would take over the throne or position of ruler, but that day was not yet and Inca wanted to enjoy her childhood whilst she could. An eight year old should be messing around and having fun not taking life seriously._

 _"Well, I have a Christmas present for you." Fili said and her eyes widened in excitement at the thought of a gift and what it could be. "Turn around."_

 _Inca did as she was asked and tried to stop jigging in excitement. Fili pulled her hair to one side and pulled something around her neck, fastening it at the back. She looked down to look at the necklace and saw that it was a single ruby pendent surrounded in silver that flicked up in the shape of a tear drop._

 _"Thank you Fili it's beautiful!"_

 _"Just like you." He said quietly, he leant in and innocently kissed her on the cheek, but that didn't stop the sounds of disgust coming from the two brothers._

 _"Ewww, Fee! I'm only six years old that's disgusting!" Kili said whilst his hands covered his eyes. Noly just watched not sure what to do whilst his mouth hung open freely._

 _"I can't believe you just kissed my sister!" Was all he managed to say. He felt very protective over her and didn't want to see her hurt. But at their young age, he didn't know that she could be emotionally hurt as well by things such as heartbreak, so he spoke what he was thinking._

 _"That reminds me." Kili said, bringing his hands down from his eyes and looking at Noly. "I've got a present for you. I didn't want you to feel left out or anything and I thought you might like it…" Kili began blushing as he reached inside his pocket for something. Eventually he pulled a red bracelet out with silver thread woven into the pattern._

 _"Thank you Kili!" Noly exclaimed as he slipped it on and admired it looking up into the soft brown eyes of the younger dwarf._

 _"I've got a similar one look." He pulled down the sleeve of his jacket to reveal the same bracelet but with navy thread instead of the blue thread. At the same time Fili reached into his coat to pull out a replica necklace but with a sapphire in place of the ruby._

 _"It shows our friendship. So that we will stay friends for ever and ever." He explained and the pairs smiled at each other, small blushes appearing on their naïve faces._

 _"I left your present at home I'll give it to you tomorrow." Inca said grinning "I promise."_

* * *

Inca wore a crown of fireflies in her rich auburn hair as she sat on the pebbles staring into nothingness and fighting back the aching in her legs from their travels.

She fiddled with the ruby hanging from her neck. Not once had she taken it off. And not once had she forgotten who gave it to her. Seventy years from the day it was given to her and yet she hadn't forgotten a single second of that moment in the snow.

She looked into the small campfire that they had made on the shore of the Lake that stood before Erebor, the charred carcass of a town still sat on its waters. Her brother was heating the leftover stew that they had made a couple of days before and began ladling it into two wooden bowls.

"Hey Noly." She said after he had given her one of the bowls. "Do you still have that bracelet?"

"That's a strange question." He replied but rolled his sleeve up anyway and brandished the red and silver thread at her. "Of course. I don't think I'd be able to get it off anyway."

They shared a soft laugh as the night hummed on around them and the fire crackled and spat, sending orange sparks into the void. They ate their meal in comfortable silence, listening to the crickets and other things that were awake in the darkness. Inca turned around to look at the mountain over her shoulder and smiled to herself at its vague presence in the never-ending blackness that engulfed the world with only a few white dots sprinkled over its canvas to light the way.

"What will we do when we get there?" She muttered to herself. A rhetorical question that she had no way of answering. When they had left the Blue Mountains they made their livelihood in many ways, some more desperate than others; but as a family they had never had a set way of making sure they always had food on the table, so much so that some nights they didn't have food or a table to put it on.

"I don't know why you're asking me. You're the smart one." Noly shrugged and she flicked her head around not realising he had heard her, and, in true Noly style had answered it not understanding the true purpose of what she said. To comfort herself.

"Well think about it. When we reach Erebor it'll be a chance to start over. A clean slate. We'll have the opportunity to… start a business for instance instead of constantly searching for work." He nodded along with her but she could tell he had no intension of actually listening to the statement and instead a yawn escaped him, causing a chain reaction from her as well.

"I'm tired. I'm going to go to bed." He unrolled a large snow white fur and set it down on the pebbly beach.

"Wait for me!" Inca said excited and hopped up from her seat and ran over to join him on the pelt. Pulling her own fur out she laid down next to him and threw the second pelt over them both.

Noly wrapped his arm around his sister protectively and they drifted into peaceful and cosy sleep, the fire glowing orange on their skin and the stars shining down on them.

* * *

"Hey look! Dale!" Noly shouted, pointing to the sandy city and looking over his shoulder at Inca who was trudging a little way behind him through the regenerating plains.

"Wow, they've really done a good job at patching it up hey." She said slightly breathless as she caught up and stood next to her brother looking at the cities walls.

They could see people walking along the walls and helping in the rebuilding efforts. The plain around them was slowly growing more plush and green as small pine trees sprouted from the ground and wildflowers began to overrun the coarse weeds that had lived on the mountains porch for so long.

"Can we –"

"No." Inca cut her brother off and his hopeful grin faded into a scowl. "We've already strayed from the journey for a drink and the celebrations are tomorrow, we can't afford any more delays. Besides when we get there tonight we'll have to endure a lecture from Sady about leaving her halfway through the journey to get pissed. Come on."

He groaned but complied and they continued their walk, not venturing into the city of Dale that was on its way to its original splendour before the dragon fire and wrath.

* * *

They eventually found themselves walking across the muddy field that sat in front of the Lonely Mountain. The grass had been tracked into the dirt from battle and hundreds of dwarves trudging across it like they were. The area was so alone and they had imagined themselves walking across this with their sister and a whole convoy of other dwarves. But with just the two of them it felt wrong, like the small company of Thorin Oakenshield must have felt when they walked up the slope to face a dragon.

"Halt!" A guard shouted as they neared the stone gate that had been rebuilt as a door into the mountain. Five other men guarded the entrance and several more guards were posted on the battlements above and next to the gate.

"State your names." He said rather bluntly like it had been rehearsed, which it clearly had been. He wore chainmail ad a steel chestplate which matched his helm. A shield was attached to his arm with the Durin sigel upon it and an axe was sheathed on his right leg.

Inca put her hand out and onto Noly's middle to stop him from answering incase he messed it up which he had done in the past.

"My name is Incanus Thopal, and this is my twin brother Nolyn Thopal. We are distant relatives to Jaelonna ancient Queen of Khazad-dum, I won't get into the details of what we are to her as it would take a rather long time. But we are of the Dwarvish race. Our mother Astrid Thopal lived in Erebor before Smaug came. Our father, Yurin Thopal, died in the dragon's wrath. We are from the Blue Mountains." She finished and the guard nodded slowly at her reciet of their identity but still eyed them slightly suspiciously.

"Our younger sister, Sadia Thopal, already arrived here. If that helps." Noly stepped in, gesturing with his hands.

"Then tell me, why you didn't travel with your sister and the rest of dwarves from the Blue Mountains?" He raised an eyebrow at them, hoping to catch the pair out. He didn't trust them. Their appearances certainly told them they were dwarves and who they said they were gave them every right to enter the mountain, but the fact that they were alone didn't feel right to him.

"We… we went on a pub crawl in the cluster of man villages before Mirkwood." Inca said slightly embarrassed her confident tone slightly lost as she looked to her shuffling feet. There was a short pause of tension as the guard eyed them up and checked them over. But then his face turned into a friendly grin and he clapped Inca hard on the shoulder much to her surprise.

"Well you should've said that earlier!" He smiled, his tone joking. "Come on, your sister's been waiting at the gate for most of the daylight since she arrived last week."

He turned around and led them towards the gate, beckoning them to follow. He called up to one of the guards above them and the stone doors slowly opened to give them enough space for them to enter, but no more than necessary.

Allowing a small slither of the insides of Erebor to be revealed to them and the outside world.

* * *

 **They've reached Erebor! So next update will feature Sady and probably the lead up to the celebrations. Hope you enjoyed that chapter! AS always leave me a review as to what you thought and also, if you want TaurielXKili in this story or not. Thanks again x**


	4. Back in Town

**"Nothing is work unless you'd rather be doing something else."**

 **\- George Halas**

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 **Wow nearly 500 views! Thanks so much you guys! I hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am writing it even if we're only four chapters in!**

 **Big thanks to chrisd1016929, HunterOfArtemisFlameOfHestia and meep15 for following this story!**

 **lovingthisbook - I'm glad you're enjoying this! I hope you like Sady! x**

* * *

Back in Town

 _"I dare you." Kili said pointing at her confidently. "Or are you too chicken?"_

 _They were stood at the top of a rather long stone staircase and Kili was holding a large silver tray out to Inca whilst wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. The tray had a handle on either side and was usually used as a serving tray not to be part of a dare game._

 _"I am not a chicken." Inca replied slightly annoyed at his 'insult'. Her shoulders rolled back and she tried to look down on the younger dwarf despite their equal heights but a smile couldn't help escape her simply by being in the presence of one of her closest friends._

 _"Well do it then."_

 _Inca dramatically snatched the tray of Kili as if trying to make a point but she giggled slightly regardless of her attempts to be annoyed with him. She turned away from him to look down the steps that seemed to go on forever and she couldn't help but gulp in slight fear as she stared down th precipice._

 _"Go on then, what are you waiting for?" Kili nudged her on the shoulder and she jumped in shock, mildly cursing under her breath the worst word she knew at the time: 'dung'._

 _"Mahal Kili give me a second." She said as her hand dropped back to her side from where it had grasped her tunic in fright at the jump. She had to do this otherwise Kili would never let her live it down that he won the dare game and therefore was braver than he was. And she was stubborn and didn't like to lose especially Kili who she found was extremely competitive with despite their close friendship._

 _She sat down on the tray at the top of the staircase and tucked her legs in underneath her. She shuffled herself forward until the tray was teetering over the edge so that if she swayed her body forward she would start her descent down the steep stone. Closing her eyes and sucking in a last breath, whilst Kili anticipated her surrender from behind her sitting form, she grabbed the handles and shoved her torso forward._

 _She squealed as the tray bounced down the stairs and the wind pushed her hair back into a flickering flame whilst the bottom of the grand staircase twisted as it got nearer. She shut her eyes to plummet herself into the darkness of her eyelids and the whistling in her ears somehow increased at the loss of one of her senses. Suddenly the tray bounced awkwardly on a loose stone on the steps and the tray flew into the air about fifteen metres from the bottom._

 _Inca screamed as she was thrown off the tray and her eyes sprung open to watch herelf dive headfirst towards the steps, her arms flailing around in front of her in an attempt to break the fall._

 _And break the fall it did._

 _A resounding crack echoed around the hall as she hit the steps and began tumbling head over heels the rest of the way down landing in a sprawled heap on the floor her body sliding forward and scraping her face more on the cold stone._

 _"Inca!" Kili shouted, fear and worry evident in his voice as he crashed down the stairs as quickly as he could and rushed to her side._

 _He attempted to roll her onto her front and she shouted out in pain at the movement. She scrunched herself into a tight ball on the ground tears pricking at her eyes as she breathed and winced through gritted teeth. It should have been her that was crying but Kili took up that job._

 _At that exact moment Fili and Noly walked around the corner leading to the hall in which the staircase was positioned; mindlessly chatting and wondering about where their other halves could be. But being so engrossed in their conversation it took them a moment to process the scene in front of them but when they saw Kili crying next to Inca who was rolling around on the floor, clearly in pain, and the discarded tin tray they instantly ran to their side._

 _"Kili what happened!" Fili shouted and his younger brother's head flicked around his eyes bloodshot and his hands shaking as his older brother hurried towards him; concern much older than his years etched onto his face._

 _"Inca." Noly said in a hushed voice as if he was telling a secret or wanting to have a private conversation. He put his hands gently on her shoulder to let her know that he was with her but her face stayed screwed and her eyes kept tightly shut whilst small whimpers left her quivering lips._

 _He gently tried to pick up the arm that she was cradling but she hissed in pain when he touched it. His eyes widened he had never seen his sister like this, she was only every happy or looking after him. Suddenly he grew extremely protective and angry at how this could've happened. He was mildly aware of the younger Durin bumbling on through sobs about what happened and he could feel Fili's protectiveness over his sister._

 _"I dared her…" Kili said quietly a red blush forming on his cheeks and a guilty look seeming out of place over his usual cheeky grin. "I'm sorry Fili I didn't mean to it was just a game…"_

 _Fili nodded and tried to give his younger brother a comforting smile and then turned to kneel next to Inca subconsciously pushing Noly out of the way._

 _"Inca it's okay. I'm here you're safe." She showed no sign of her pain easing yet no tears escaped her eyes. Noly looked at the blonde prince in disbelief. They were only ten years old! He was her brother not him._

 _"Go and get help." Noly said to him sternly but the blonde simply shook his head and liked him dead in the eye._

 _"I should stay with her." He said, he too wanting to look after the girl._

 _"No. No, you'll go and get help. She's my sister not yours. Now go and get help or do you want to see her in any more pain then she already is." Noly gave the older dwarf a warning look. And Fili decided that it would just be easier to go and get help like he was told._

 _A short while after, Fili returned with his Uncle and an older dwarf that was clearly a healer. Noly stepped back to give the healer some room to check Inca over whilst Thorin interrogated his nephews and gave Kili a scolding when he found out what happened. Noly just watched the healer work nervously as his twin sister groaned in pain. Eventually the older dwarf turned around to give the report on her injuries._

 _"Just a broken arm. She's lucky it could've been a lot worse Thorin. I'll have to take her to the ward to give her proper treatment but in a couple of hours she can go off again." Then he turned to look at the young dwarfs, in particular Kili who was shuffling his feet and staring at them intensely. "But preferably not to join in another dare game. She needs rest."_

 _Thorin nodded and knelt down to pick Inca up, who once again winced at the contact and held her arm against herself, burying her head into Thorin's chest. He carried her out after the healer and the three boys were left at the bottom of the stairs, sitting in uncomfortable silence as they watched them leave._

* * *

"Where have you two been?!" Sady shouted when they walked through the gates and she stormed towards them from the other end of the large entrance room.

"Looks like we're in trouble." Noly leant over to whisper in Inca's ears whilst their younger sister continued to stomp towards them practically fuming.

"I'm going to blame this all on you, you know." Inca replied back very monotone without even looking at her brother but instead watched the steam floating out of Sady's ears.

"And I thought thy defeated the dragon." Noly muttered gesturing to Sady as her strides quickened and she broke into a run, a grin appearing on her face no matter how hard she tried to push it back.

"I missed you guys." She admitted as she jumped into their arms, squashing herself in between the twins. When she pulled out from in between them she kept a hand on each of their shoulders and looked between them as tears pricked her eyes. But then her brow furrowed and her anger flooded back to her face.

"Well, care to explain where you too went gallivanting off to?" She asked taping her foot in frustration.

"Ask him it was his fault after all." Inca said pointing to her right at Noly and then walking past them both and further into the mountain to gape at it. Noly was left opening and closing his mouth at his sister's departure but Sady kept her eyes steely and locked on his so he put on a sheepish grin and avoided the question.

"So sis, where can we drop our bags off and get a bite to eat?" He asked cheekily, knowing that it would only frustrate her more, which it did. She rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh but pointed to a corridor leading out of the room.

"That way, come on I'll take you there." She said shaking her head and grabbed Inca by the arm as she dragged them both after her along the passageway.

* * *

When they were eventually released by Sady the twins looked past her and through the door she was holding open. They slowly walked into the house carved into the rock of the mountain. It was an open planned living area with doors leading to four bedrooms. It was fully furnished but a layer of dust coated everything apart from that it seemed untouched with only a few frames fallen on the floor or the table; there was still fruit in a bowl however it was all shrivelled and black.

Inca and Noly stared with their mouths open and moved their heads around synchronised to look at the whole room down to the last dusty detail. Inca frowned and shook her head suddenly switching her gaze to their younger sister who had disappeared behind a door.

"Hey! When did you get this?" She called and Sady popped her head around the door and walked back into the room.

"Well when we first arrived we had to fill out forms to state that we had a right to enter and live in Erebor. Then if you had previous family that lived here they would seek out their housing and give it to you because it belongs to your family." She explained her hands gesturing wildly and her butterscotch hair bouncing on her shoulders. Now it was Noly's turn to snap back to reality and join the conversation.

"So this is where Mum and Dad lived." He asked slowly, only just processing the information.

"Yes Noly." Inca said clearing it up for her less smart twin. After his horse had bucked him off when they were young his common sense had almost left him, although he could be very smart when solving problems and gave great advice, despite being a bit slow sometimes.

"How long have you been here?"

"About a week now. So back to my original question: where did you to disappear to before Mirkwood?" Sady cocked her head and her eyebrows raised.

"I knew we got lost." Noly exclaimed pointing his finger at Inca accusingly.

"That was your fault not mine. Plus it was your idea in the first place." Inca said back her finger replying to his with a waggle. They were about to continue with the sibling argument but Sady cleared her throat and they turned their heads to look at her remembering what was going on.

"Pub crawl!" Noly said excited as if they were just about to go on one or he was just proud, whilst Inca just shoved her hand to her forehead in despair despite agreeing to the event at the time; looking back, it wasn't their best idea, although it was a laugh.

"Should've known I guess." Sady rolled her eyes and muttered but then a small smile came to her and she laughed lightly. "So why wasn't I invited? You know I love to see my to idiot older siblings off their faces."

"Well we had to make sure someone got here." Noly replied back a cheeky grin across his face and the three jumped into easy laughter. Noly began flicking his eyes around again and his brow furrowed. "Sady, why haven't you dusted?"

"Well I cleaned my room, I thought as a sort of punishment for ditching me you could do the rest." She smiled sweetly at the other's groans and then left them to sort their bags out and begin their chores.

"Mahal she's turning into Mum."

* * *

 **So Sady's been introduced! As you might be able to tell she's the responsible one of the three. I'm going to try and make these chapter's a bit longer in the future as well so sorry if they're a bit short at the moment.**

 **Hope you enjoyed that chapter and let me know if you want me to continue the flashbacks at the start on the regular! x**


	5. Easy Regrets

**"Once you've accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you."**

 **– Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones**

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 **^^ Yes I have an obsession with GOT so be prepared for more quotes from it as they're brilliant to me!**

 **600 views! That's so amazing so thank you so so much for reading this and sticking with it so far! Massive thanks to FiliandKili'sGirl18, If I Can Be and Gracey Lili for following/favouriting this story!**

 **lovingthisbook – I'm glad you like her and they'll be meeting up with them very soon don't worry!**

 **Aranel Mereneth – Thorin is alive I decided that everyone lives because I can't handle them dying and am in denial! They'll see the Durins soon hold on for one more chapter I reckon!**

 **Cassandrala – Toddlers are great and say the funniest/cutest things! I'm glad you liked it and thanks for checking this out as well!**

* * *

Easy Regrets

 _Inca groaned as her eyes slowly opened and she became aware of her own awakening. She quickly shut them, trying to defy the morning light that filtered through the window and the birdsong that asked her to wake. She pulled her duvet tighter around her neck and was aware of the aching in her arm and the tightness that pulled the skin._

 _She wanted to look at it and find out what was wrong but remembered her task of disobeying the day and instead curled into a ball of warmth and comfort, sinking deeper into the mattress and the pillows that lifted up slightly from the dent her head caused. However her stirring and movements below the crinkling sheets did not go un-noticed as she heard a hushed whisper and then footsteps leading to the careful opening and closing of a door._

 _"She's awake, but don't be too noisy… alright?" A deep rumbling voice said, although its tone was soft and gentle. However it was quickly forgotten about as a mini stampede ran through the door, the feet pounding lightly on the stone and stopping her attempts at extra sleep._

 _Inca sighed knowing that there was no escape from the social corner she found herself in and so opened her eyes warily to let her pupils adjust to the light and the shadows created from the four figures leaning over her bed._

 _"How are you feeling?" Fili asked on her left his golden hair shimmering in the sunlight, creating an angelic halo around his head; his smile offering the same brightness. Inca looked at him with a soft smile but didn't fail to see the short glare her brother gave on the opposite side._

 _"I'm fine I think. Although all they've fed me is beans and potato." She shuddered and made a noise of disgust at the thought of the food, she missed meat and it had only been a day or so._

 _There was a low chuckling coming from the back of the room and Inca tilted her head to look down her bed at the three other figures watching her all smiling from her remark and recovery. Her mother stood next to Thorin who had his hand gently placed on her shoulder and the elderly healer that had been tending to her was also stood with them – his name slowly coming back to her and she remembered it to be Oin._

 _"I still can't believe you were stupid enough to actually do it." Noly laughed and Inca was taken back to her four friends stood next to her._

 _"Yeah I'm sorry about that." Kili muttered and he actually looked serious with his apology but it was soon left in the past as his usual smile reappeared, despite it being a lot less wide and cheeky it still made him look less of a stranger to them all._

 _"It was awesome though!" Sady exclaimed from the right side grinning madly but the others all frowned at her with confused smirks._

 _"Sady, you weren't actually there…" Inca said slowly giggling a little at her sisters attempts to be noticed by them, she didn't really have many other friends despite Gimli and he was a bit much sometimes so she preferred to be with her older siblings and their friends._

 _"Yeah but I got told about it." She retorted back grinning, her own smile and fair hair dangerously challenging Fili's. The light giggles died down between the five of them and Inca's smile dropped when she remembered a detail that her mother and Thorin had told her the first time she woke up._

 _"They said I wouldn't be able to fight for a while." She scowled as she was just beginning to get good at sword play and Thorin praised her more and more when he took their lessons. "Mum said I'll have to find a new hobby to fill the time."_

 _"You could try painting?" Fili suggested and Noly spluttered and doubled over at the thought of his sister picking up a paint brush and being able to create something of actual art and beauty and not just ripping the canvas. The prince glanced at him curious and Noly masked a serious face when he returned from laughing at the floor._

 _"My sister would never paint, she's not into that kind of stuff. I guess you don't know her very well." For some reason he had grown to dislike Fili out of protection of his twin. He wasn't entirely sure why he just didn't like the face that they might like each other more than friends, I mean that was a disgusting concept anyway, only adults do things like that. So he had taken it upon himself to try and ward the other dwarf away from her in as many ways possible._

 _"I guess it's a possibility –" Inca began the thought bumbling around her head and she looked at the wall tilting her head along with her mind; therefore ignoring the sneer Fili gave Noly and the look of disbelief on her twins face at her even thinking about taking the blondes suggestions on board. "- but I don't know, it seems kinda boring."_

 _Noly smirked at the other dwarf, knowing that he had won another battle and he was also proud off himself for knowing his sister so well. But to his surprise Fili smirked back and looked at him when he next spoke._

 _"Well maybe we can spend your spare time getting to know each other."_

 _Oh yes, a war had begun between the two young dwarf lads for protection over Inca, be it sibling or lover, like all battles – someone had to lose._

* * *

"Rise and shine wombats! Breakfasts ready and I'm taking you shopping today!" Sady shouted as she bashed a metal pan with her spoon whilst slowly walking towards her older siblings who had collapsed on the sofa together.

They had been up very late finishing cleaning the rest of the house and had not made it to their rooms in time so had ended up in a tangled heap of limbs and dark hair. However the clanging that Sady was creating was enough for them to dragged out of the dream world, kicking and screaming, and fall off the seat together grumbling when they hit the hard floor. Grumbling they lifted their heads and dishevelled half lidded eyes to look at their younger sister leaning over the back of the sofa, innocently smiling at them.

"What do you have to do that for?" Noly moaned rubbing his eyes but she only laughed at him.

"That was payment for leaving me." Her laugh abruptly stopping to add the retort and then starting up again at their scowls.

"But we already cleaned the house!" Inca whined, slumping onto the floor not caring of the ahe that ensued because of it.

"Well now you have fully paid me back." Sady shrugged but really she had just wanted to see their reactions and found it humorous that they hadn't made it to their own beds. Cleaning was clearly too much effort for the two mercenary's.

After they left the Blue Mountains they looked for work wherever they could to pay for their rent in taverns or other places that would take them in. Because of their training in weapons the twins sold their skills and became bodyguards, hunters for butchers and on a rare occasion assassins.

However they had left when Sady was twenty one and had never been as interested in the act of warfare and so had taken jobs including cooking and cleaning, or the stereotypical female professions. There had been one time where the twins had used their younger sister as 'bait' when on a mission to kill a rapist, but luckily he had not lived long enough to do any proper damage to the younger girl – but that one scary memory was nothing compared to the several worse occasions the eldest sister had put herself through for the welfare of the family.

"Is that bacon I can smell?" Noly said his nostrils suddenly flaring with interest as he sniffed the air causing Inca to break a breathless laugh and look at her brother from her place on the floor, shaking her head and giving a mock eye roll.

"Yes it is. But I ate it all because you didn't get up early enough." Sady chuckled and their heads snapped up with their mouths wide open unbelieving that they had been stripped of their right to eat bacon. They scowled at her when she laughed and both made noises of disgust in her general direction. "Only joking I saved you some."

She had never seen them move so fast so early in the morning and they instantly shoved their faces into the plates of food left out for them on the table. They ate as quickly as they could and at one point Noly forgot to chew and ended up choking but he enjoyed the meal none the less.

"I can't believe I'm related to you sometimes." He remarked glaring at her from his plate about the bluff she had given them earlier. "You can be really mean sometimes."

"I try my best." She smiled sweetly back at them.

* * *

They were waiting for Noly to finish washing and get dressed before heading out to the market that had been set up in the mountain for people to buy everything they needed in time for the coronation and after-celebrations whilst getting settled into their new homes. It was the first time the twins had had a proper wash since before they went careering off to the pubs along the way, and then spent the rest of the journey hurrying to get to Erebor so they wouldn't miss another chance to party.

"Inca…" Inca said, his tone worried whilst holding his towel awkwardly around him as he burst through the door. "Do you have any idea of how I got this?"

He turned around to display his shoulder blade to them and looked over it to watch their reactions, his own face showing no emotion. Sady managed to stifle a laugh whilst Inca didn't even try. She pointed at the ink engraved on her brother's skin and threw her head back in laughter. He only scowled at her reaction.

In bold capital letters was a tattoo, the words read: "I'm a beautiful goddess." - Noly

The quotation on his body that had been made by him was too much for his twin sister and she began wiping her eyes and holding her stomach. His frown deepened and he raised a middle finger to her which only made his other sister harmonise her laughs with her own.

"I wouldn't be too happy, you might have one as well." He said sarcastically and Inca's grin immediately dropped and she pulled her tunic over her head so she was stood in only her vest and undergarment and attempted to look at her own shoulder blade. This time it was Noly's turn to laugh.

"I may be an idiot, but I'm your idiot" – Inca. Those were the words on her own shoulder and she groaned when reading them but was glad that they weren't as bad as her brothers. Sady however was finding the whole ordeal very entertaining and was chuckling along with the remains of her older sibling's drunken antics.

"I guess that's karma. Next time you get a tattoo stay sober." The twins only glared at her and redressed fully before bursting into another round of giggles. "Now, let's go and get something to wear tonight other than ink."

* * *

Fili sighed as he flopped down onto his large plush bed after another day of meetings. Some were about the legality of Thorin becoming King and him his legal heir, others referred to the wellbeing and providing for the dwarves that had joined them in Erebor to start their new lives, and some simply regarded to the celebrations that would be taking place over the next couple of days. It was exhausting and he was ready to curl up under the silks on his bed and drift into easy sleep. But his mind was troubled and swimming with all the sudden changes to his lifestyle.

Before in the Blue Mountains, he had just been Fili. Sure he was known as the exiled prince of Erebor, but now he felt almost labelled as it. People called him My Prince, or My Lord and it felt strange to him like he was being stripped of Fili. Before he left on the quest only the occasional dwarf would call him such things and that would only be as a way of sucking up to him or gaining his attention; other than that he was Fili, people knew him and people were comfortable and friendly around him, not wary.

He sighed again and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face and looking around his new over-fancy room – it even had a small kitchen! Fili reached up to his neck to grab at something but it was not there. Furrowing his brow at the missing item, he stood up after his eyes wandered over one of the boxes filled with his personal belongings that his mother had transported with her on the migration to the mountain.

Filtering through the container and gently unpacking its contents to sit on the floor around it he came to a small ornate box with a golden pattern flicking around it. He rocked back on his heels and out of his crouch staring at it intently whilst walking back to his bed and shifting himself to sit with his back leant against the headboard.

He gently pushed the clasp up with his thumb and the lid sprang back a bit waiting to be folded all the way. He breathed in gently and flicked the lid open his eyes widening at the sight. He placed the box on his lap and lifted the silver chain off its padding gently, letting it slither and rest on his palm. The ruby pendent looked back at him and memories flooded back to him.

He had taken the pendent off before the quest so he would not lose or damage it, and if he had died along the way it would stay in the Blue Mountains waiting to be found by its doppelganger. He remembered the last day he had with her like it was yesterday, and he remembered the day she disappeared like he was living it.

His fist closed softly around it and he placed the box on the dressing table next to the bed. He sank down in the mattress and leant over to blow out the solitary candle lighting the room and he fell slowly into sleep of wistful memories of his childhood friends.

* * *

 **So next chapter will be the celebrations and maybe an encounter between Inca and the Princes, who knows? I wanted to put a bit of Fili in this one though and I know it was only a short bit but at least he's in the story now. Oh and Noly and Inca's relationship is strictly close sibling, just putting that out there.**

 **If you're wondering what their necklaces look like type this into amazon, it should be the first thing that comes up: Miore UNI004P1W**

 **Anyway I hope you enjoyed that and as always leave a review telling me what you though. Hope you have a great day! x**


	6. An Unexpected Encounter

**"You're mine and I'm yours. And if we die we die, but first we'll live."**

 **\- Ygritte, Game of Thrones**

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 **The girl's dresses were inspired by Game of Thrones Daeynerys (S4, Ep10) and Circe, any of her red dresses really! So yeah sorry for that and also is anyway else just so done with the show after the Season 5 finale? I'm so pissed about the last scene but I know I'll watch it next year anyway! If you love the show as well tell me what you thought about Season 5 and how it ended!**

 **Massive thanks to writingNOOB, thegreatsmantha, TsukiBop and PetiteDiable for following/favouriting this story!**

 **lovingthisbook – I'm glad you like them but they're getting harder and harder to come up with new ones. I absolutely love the necklaces as well I just wish I had enough money to buy them! :D**

* * *

An Unexpected Encounter

 _Inca couldn't sleep that night in the ward and kept tossing and turning. She could hear the other patients coughing, sneezing or just snoring like oliphants; it felt like she was awaiting death. She had been lucky enough to have a room with a window in and the curtains were gently floating in and out like the waves as the cool evening air held them._

 _In the corner was a canvas resting by the small pots of paint she had been gifted from Fili and Kili's mother as an apology on the younger son's behalf. Inca sighed and pushed back the duvet. She stretched and stood up lightly padding across the medical room, that smelt of herbs, to the window where she leant on the sill and stared wistfully up into the sky; wondering if her father was looking back with a smile._

 _She wanted nothing more than to leave and go on an adventure into the gardens, maybe even paint something as she hadn't had enough improvisation to start anything and she felt guilty for not using the present. It didn't look like anyone was around and what harm could it d, she hadn't been outside the room in a week and it was making her feel worse. Looking down at her tightly bandaged arm she didn't see any immediate issue with venturing out._

 _So she shrugged and walked to where her clothes were. Pulling on her trousers, fur boots and her long navy cloak securely tying it over her burgundy tunic. She picked a knife up just in case and shoved it down the side of her boot which was lined with fur. Next it was her fingerless gloves and then, pulling the hood of her cloak up to hide her auburn hair she picked up the canvas, a couple of colours and a brush; she slowly headed out of the door._

 _Sneaking through the medical ward was the hardest part as there was always a doctor on hand but she stuck to the shadows and made sure to look around every corner to check if the coast was clear. She successfully made it outside without confrontation and the light breeze gently ruffled her cloak and it rippled out behind her slightly._

 _With the navy material falling to her knees it was easy to hide the art tools even though she found no need to hide that was until she heard footsteps coming from behind her. She flashed her head around and saw that someone was walking in her direction and was actually calling out to her. Without even thinking she turned and ran from the mysterious person causing heavy footfalls on the stone courtyard. The hood of her cloak was thrown back from the wind and her hair joined it by flowing out behind her in a dark flame that flickered and rippled at the end._

 _Eventually she found a secluded spot in the small orchard on the far side of the Blue Mountains. She had always liked the place as Fili and Kili lived in a house overlooking it and they'd often played hide and seek through the trees and sparred or practised their aim with ranged weapons._

 _She revealed her painting supplies to herself and sat down on the floor with them laid out on the grass in front of her. No matter how much she stared at the blank canvas no ideas or inspiration came to her mind and so she slumped down on her back looking through the leaves at the night sky._

 _She scrutinised the dark blue void in front of her and the white lights of forever that had been thrown onto it and when she saw a shooting star she found her inspiration._

 _Smiling to herself she sat upright and began to paint despite having no real idea of any techniques or things to do with the art of creating images and dreams and laying them out on paper. When she finished painting the night sky with a curved slither for a moon she sat back against a nearby tree trunk and smiled to herself, enjoying the peace and quiet._

 _That was until she heard heavy footfalls and the snapping of a twig._

 _Inca reached into her boot for the knife and whirled around the tree standing up in the process and brandished it to the stranger's throat. She may be young but she was no damsel in distress._

 _"Woah woah! I come in peace!" Inca squinted at the dwarf and then sighed whilst lowering the knife and tucking it back into her boot. Fili was stood with his palms up in surrender and a grin tugging at his lips, they shared a small chuckle and Inca patted the ground beside her and he sat down next to her slowly joining her in watching the stars._

 _"What are you doing out here at this hour?" He asked softly, so only she could hear in an attempt to not disturb anything else that could also be stargazing._

 _"I was about to ask you the same question. I'm painting." She said not taking her eyes of the sky and its dazzling beacons of hope._

 _"Well I heard the ruckus you caused, saw you running into the orchard and thought I'd investigate."" He shrugged, unlike her he had only glanced at the sky but saw new stars in her wistful eyes and soft hair the flowed and rolled over her shoulders. "I thought you weren't allowed out until your arm heals."_

 _"I'm not. But that could take a while and I hate being cooped up in there unable to do anything and being treated like I'm some sort of princess." Inca hated people fussing over her and preferred to be independent – it was not like she was dying after all._

 _'You are a princess to me, and you will be to everyone else when we're married' Fili thought and immediately told his inner monologue to shut up because it was not like she felt the same way. A heated discussion began in his head about if he should tell her how he truly felt despite them still being young; but in the end he decided against it and instead focused on the reality._

 _"We should be heading back you look cold. Come on I'll walk you to the ward." He stood up and offered her his hand which she gladly took after scooping up all her things and they began to walk out of the orchard._

 _"That's a wonderful painting by the way. Who knew your clumsy hands could create something like that." He chuckled nudging her shoulder lightly and she laughed back pushing him harder._

 _"Oh shut up."_

* * *

The celebrations were beginning to start throughout Erebor and in an hour Thorin would be crowned the new King Under the Mountain. The trio had gone to the market and bought their outfits for the night, Sady and Inca wearing dresses and Noly a smart tunic.

Inca's dress was a greyish blue and the skirt fell to her feet. It was sleeveless and the top half was tighter with an open hole on her chest and small patterns engraved into the material. She had the front section pulled up in braids and the rest fell in a red flame down her back slight curls dotting it's ends.

Sady however was wearing a dress the colour of her siblings burgundy hair and had sleeves that reached past the elbow and flared out to reveal a golden underside to the silks. She wore her hair in a similar fashion to her sister with her butterscotch hair tumbling down her own spine like a waterfall of gold.

The two girls were giddily chatting away in the living room awaiting their brother who they could hear grumbling in his room about his robe making him look girly.

"Come on Noly! We're going to be late! I didn't chivvy you along so I could sit in Erebor missing the celebrations!" Inca called and Noly suddenly appeared throwing his arms out and doing a short twirl despite the slight scowl on his face.

"You look lovely, now let's go!" Sady shot up and grabbed her sibling hands dragging them out of their house grinning madly.

They ran down the empty and silent halls of Erebor, even the guards were taking part in the celebrations. Their footsteps echoed around the stone and their hair flowed out behind them whilst their ecstatic smiles lit the way through the torches lining the walls.

Truth be told neither Inca nor Noly had any idea of where they were going and were simply following the giggles of their younger sister running ahead of them and taking sudden turns off into other corridors and leading them through a labyrinth of rock with every ounce of confidence.

They eventually came to a large set of wooden doors, it had ornate carvings and metal drawn onto it making the entrance to the Grand Hall even more spectacular. Laughter and music could be heard through the wood and the siblings smiled at each other bouncing up and down before knocking on the doors.

* * *

When the doors were opened for them Inca's mouth dropped at the sight. There were tables laid out around the edge crammed with food and drink for the feast, candles and torches lit up the room with a happy and comforting glow, and the dwarves were already dancing and singing madly. It had been so long since they had been in such close contact with their own race and Inca practically squealed in delight at the prospect.

They slowly entered the room, their eyes roaming around the place with wide and wondrous smiles. Strangers greeted them with a nod of the head or a smile of their own and they couldn't help but grin back in happiness and pride to be a part of the magnificent race of dwarves.

Suddenly the room fell into an awe filled silence as another set of doors opened to the left of them and all eyes fell onto the new arrivals. Sady grabbed Inca's hand and they shuffled closer to the space open for the newcomers to walk through.

Craning her neck she saw them.

Thorin was walking at the front of the line his raven hair billowing past his neck and a heavy fur cloak draped of his shoulders to follow behind him across the floor. Inca thought she wouldn't be able to keep her eyes of his serious but clearly grateful and joyous face but following just behind him was his nephews.

It seemed like time had stopped for the princes as they had hardly changed in the fifty six years since she had last laid eyes on either of them and her heart fluttered at the sight of the rough spun scruffy boys she used to know in all their regality. Their mother Dis stood between them as beautiful and otherworldly as ever her appearance one that every dwarven woman strove for and idolised. Behind them was a group of twelve other dwarves all dressed in their finery, some looking rather modest and taken aback by the situation they were in; others clearly ravishing in the attention and enjoying that they were known as heroes and were all to be made Lords after Thorin was crowned.

Noly squeezed her hand in delight and excitement but his twin didn't seem to notice as she was unable to take her eyes of the train of courageous dwarves that were walking before her. Kili was closest to their side and was looking into the crowd grinning and occasionally waving or nodding his head. His brown hazel eyes locked with hers and his grin faded into a look of shock and then confusion; he stopped moving to look at Inca and her two siblings but was subtly pushed along by his mother.

* * *

Thorin had been crowned and the whole Kingdom fell silent and knelt, bowing their heads in respect as their new King rose before them. Fili watched in overwhelming pride and unconsciously moved his hand to the ruby hanging from his neck and squeezed his hand around it tightly.

"Now, the part we've all been waiting for." Thorin began a smile creeping onto his lips as the dwarves of Erebor looked at him with smiles. "Let the feast begin!"

At Thorin's announcement the whole hall jumped back to life along with the music and soon laughter and song built back up again. Fili sat at the side of his Uncle and King at the great table laid out for the royal family and the company.

He had already spotted Nori sneak a piece of silver cutlery into his pockets and having Dori scold him for it whilst Ori looked around in wonder at everything. Kili was sat in between him and their mother who was fussing over his younger brother's tunic as he had not managed to button it up properly and had shown his dressing skills to the whole Kingdom.

Fili chuckled under his breath and looked around the table. Only a year or so ago they had set off from Master Baggins (or Boggins as Kili called him) house and had taken part in a quest fit for legends and the storybooks in centuries to come. He was peacefully minding his own business looking around at all his friends and laughing at some of their appearances in actual proper clothes that weren't covered in grim or blood, Dwalin in particular although he still wore his knuckle dusters despite the fancy tunic.

The food part of the feast was drawing to a close and people began to move the tables out of the centre of the room to create a large enough space to dance. Fili watched the dwarves smiling faces with his own happiness but slowly began to feel rather hot and a tad queasy.

Lost in thought, it took Kili several attempts to gain the blondes attention and his face was showing a rather unnatural look of concern.

"Fee are you alright?" He asked holding his brothers shoulder gently and the other just lightly fanned himself.

"Yeah I'm just feeling a bit stuffy, I might go and get some fresh air." He said putting on a smile, in truth his mind was swimming about the responsibilities he had taken on by properly becoming the heir to Erebor and he was struggling with the concept of having to look after so many people whilst running a kingdom.

Thorin overheard the conversation and nodded his head to Fili confirming that it was okay to leave the celebrations for the time being and he smiled in thanks before trotting off and through a set of doors as quickly as possible.

* * *

Meanwhile Inca was having a lovely time laughing and eating with her siblings and other dwarves. She had not found out much about them but had found friends in them and was thoroughly enjoying socialising with everyone. That was until her hand slipped and she cut her palm open with a meat knife.

She squeaked in shock and the stinging that was growing in her palm and already Noly's drunken jokes were rolling out at her expense, if slightly slurred together. She swore under her breath and excused herself from the table quickly running out one of the doors whilst clutching her hand and trying not to spill blood down herself.

In truth she had no idea where to go but enjoyed the feeling or cool air refreshing her and helping her to feel better. She began to head down one of the corridors blissfully unaware of where she was headed but enjoyed the exploration despite the urgency to reach a healer or someone with a bandage.

She was looking down at her hand and was inspecting the cut herself following her feet go around a corner lightly muttering to herself about the situation and so she didn't see or hear the person walking the other way around the corner until they collided and she was briefly smushed into someone's chest before stumbling back.

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry, I should've been watching where I was going." She blurted out quickly looking at the blonde brushing himself down and muttering his own apologies.

"No, no it was my…. Fault." The dwarf stopped mid-sentence his eyes widening along with hers at the recognition and for a short while they just stared at each other like rabbits in headlights, unable to move let alone find any words.

"Inca?" He said eventually squinting slightly and his voice wavering as if unaware and in complete shock at the girl stood before him. He seemed hesitant, like he was afraid of the answer and unsure of how to react to any answer he might be given.

"Err… Hi Fili…"

* * *

 **Dun, Dun, DUNNNN! So a bit of a cliffhanger but they met each other! So next chapter will be them kind of catching up I guess and stuff like that!**

 **I hope you liked this and let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for the flashback at the start because I'm struggling to think of more! AS always thanks for reading and until next time! :D x**


	7. Old Wounds Can't Heal With an Apology

**"What good is power if you can't protect the ones you love."**

 **\- Cersei Lannister - Game of Thrones**

* * *

 **Thanks to flint1991 for following this story! Plus over 1000 views! Amazing thank you so much!**

 **lovingthisbook - sorry for the slight cliffhanger and there might just be another one in this chapter! Sorry! Thanks for the help with the flashbacks and I'll keep that in mind, I'm glad you enjoy them though!**

 **Aranel Mereneth - There relationship and the proper fullblown story will start soon don't worry, at least they've met now! Thank you for the advice with the flashbacks as well it's really helpful!**

* * *

Old Wounds Can't Heal With an Apology

 _Fili woke up happy. Stretching out he saw his brother was still sound asleep on the bed next to him, smiling to himself he pulled back the covers and padded out of the bedroom towards the kitchen where he could hear his mother making breakfast._

 _"Good morning Fili." His mother said looking over her shoulder as the blonde entered the room still rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "You've got a letter."_

 _He looked at the table frowning and walked over to where the envelope sat teasing everyone to open it. On the front it read: To Fili._

 _Picking it up hesitantly like it could bite him he turned it around in his hands and studied the writing trying to decipher who it might be from. Frowning again he slipped a thumb underneath the corner and gently tore it open. Fishing the not out and discarding the container he flipped the paper up and out of its fold to read it._

 _'To Fili' it read 'I am leaving the Blue Mountain's. We might never see each other again and I will miss you forever. I have my reasons but I do not wish to share them with anybody and I am sorry that I could not have told you in person. By the time you are reading this I will have already fled. I'm so sorry Fili, please don't cry, and stay strong for me – Inca.'_

 _Fili's mouth fell open slightly at the words and then re-read the letter to gauge there meaning. When the information sunk in his hand crashed to the table and a sob escaped his lips. His mind was in turmoil, the news came from thin air and his body shook._

 _"Fili what's wrong?" Dis said rushing to her son's side with concern flushing across her features at the tears. He said nothing though, only gave her the letter in his hands. She read it carefully again and again and then wordlessly took her sobbing child into her arms and cradled him tightly._

* * *

For a moment they just stared. Of course, Inca had known that Fili was alive and well and she had seen him at the ceremony; but his expression was indescribable and she had no idea about his response to her reappearance would be.

"Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit." Was all she could say and placed a hand to her forehead avoiding her gaze but kept the injured hand down. Yet he still stayed silent, processing the information remembering everything about her in a tsunami and then confusion spread other him.

"I thought you were dead. You're supposed to be dead!" He blurted out pointing a finger at her accusingly, but he was not showing rage just shock. But no less, that was not his best line and he mentally slapped himself for being so bold and stupid.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm here. Unless you'd prefer me to be dead like I'm 'supposed' to be, I'll go and take care of myself." She quipped back, momentarily glaring at her from under her palm. She was still as sassy as he remembered.

"No I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –" He began, rambling his awkward apology but she just interrupted it much to his relief.

"It's alright. To be honest it's me that should be apologizing." She admitted, once more averting her eyes to the floor guiltily. She had missed him at first but in truth she had learned to leave her past behind her. And at that moment she felt incredibly uncomfortable with him, like he was a stranger and frankly she thought it best if they avoided each other. But Fili had a different view.

He was about to unload all the questions and concerns about her and her family's disappearance all those years ago, but stopped himself when he saw the blood on her hand and unconsciously reached out for it, holding it in his own large palms to inspect it and not understanding that she was feeling more and more uncomfortable. "You're hurt."

"Thank you for pointing that out, I didn't notice it myself." She said sarcastically but he just smirked at her and when he looked down she rolled her eyes. All she had wanted to do was wrap it in a bandage and get back to the celebration; not start an awkward reunion with her childhood friend. "Now if you don't mind, I'm on my way to get a bandage."

"Oh no, it's fine I'll take you to the ward." He smiled and grabbed her unbloodied hand and escorted her down the corridor oblivious to her not wanting to be with him.

* * *

He was striding through the halls of Erebor, Inca's hand clasped in his as she dragged behind looking over her shoulder and pulling on her hand every so often to try and give him a hint. Eventually they came to the ward and Fili knocked on the door, leaning his ear to the wood for a reply before bursting into the room with Inca in tow.

"Ah Fili." An older dwarf said as he recognized the prince from the quest. "What can I do for you, shouldn't you be at the celebration." Fili only shrugged at his question and watched the healers next act.

It was then that he looked past the blondes shoulder to the girl sheepishly stood behind him with her head lowered whilst embarrassment flooded her cheeks at how pathetic her injury was. His face dropped its original smile and masked one of utter shock and his face paled slightly as he looked at the girl, his reaction to her the same as Fili's.

The healer looked between the girl and the prince with his mouth agape and Fili only chuckled at his loss for words whilst Inca stood curious of why the man had reacted to her in the way he did. I mean, Fili had the right to be taken aback but a stranger who only seemed vaguely familiar shouldn't be looking at her like she was a ghost.

"Well, Inca here," Fili laughed under his breath again at the absurdity of the situation as well as he was totally unsure of how else to act "has cut her hand and it needs bandaging." The doctor went a shade paler and then slowly nodded whilst Inca glowered at the prince again, knowing that the cut was something she would've had no problem sorting herself.

"Right this way…" The man said hesitantly and unsure as he gestured for Inca to sit on one of the beds whilst he rummaged around in a draw for some bandages; glancing at her every now and then, wary of his own thoughts. Meanwhile Fili was smirking next to her curious eyes trying to push down the questions and thoughts that threatened to come tumbling out in a speech/rant.

"Oin came with us on the quest to reclaim Erebor." Fili whispered to Inca and now it was her turn to pale as she chocked on her own saliva suddenly recognising the man and understanding how he recognized her and why he had been acting so strangely.

They spent the next couple of minutes in silence as Inca presented the small wound and Oin went about cleaning and bandaging it as carefully and gently as he could. Then when he was done they acknowledged each other with a polite nod and he scurried out of the room leaning the pair to solitary silence.

"I really should be going, Sady will probably be getting worried…" Inca said hesitantly, jumping up from the bed and edging towards the door her hand fumbling behind her for the handle and a quick exit.

"Wait – " Fili reached his hand out in an attempt to grab hers and stop her from leaving; but she had already swiveled around the door and was running down the dark corridor trying to stop tears from falling.

* * *

Fili sighed to himself and lowered his hand to his side again, cursing inwardly that he didn't stop her in time. The noise her feet made along the stone slowly echoed away from him and he shook his head to try and get a grip of the situation. After composing himself, he too walked out of the ward and down the corridor back to the faint music and the celebration.

He flung the door open that led to the Great Hall and entered the room, loud music, joy and dancing filling his senses. He ducked his head down to avoid getting stopped by the mass of rhythmically moving and twirling dwarves and shuffled back towards the head table as quickly as he could.

He slumped down into the his chair again and everyone turned to look at him but quickly forgot about the prince and went back to their original focus. Thorin however let his gaze linger over his heir, studying him as he pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyes. But soon even the King got distracted and it was only the younger brother left giving Fili a quizzical look with a mouth stuffed full of strawberries.

"You were gone a while." Kili pointed out, some small bits of fruit popping out of his mouth when he spoke and Fili slowly turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Your point is?" He asked sarcastically he mind in too much turmoil to put up with his younger siblings antics and interrogation, although he did have a right to know about the unexpected and very much alive memories of their childhood.

"What happened? You said you were taking a breather yet you've been gone half an hour at least." He stated pointing a finger at his brother and gesturing around with it, yet his expression remained still and casual.

"I… bumped into someone." Was all the blonde managed to say but the brunette only raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes, determined to get more information he probed further.

"Stop being so vague. Plus if you only 'bumped' into someone you wouldn't have been gone so long." He tilted his head slightly and a smug grin appeared on his face but then his eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind. "Was it a girl? You didn't – "

"No! No I did not, Mahal Kili!" Fili cut his brother off before the inappropriate suggestion tumbled out of his mouth. "But yes it was a girl…" He grumbled and his brothers face lit up when he started to dig deeper into the mystery of his brother's lengthy 'breather'.

"Who was it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Fili only sighed back and rested his hand on the table, clenching and unclenching his fist lazily and then closing his eyes for a brief moment. Yet Kili didn't give up despite the obvious wall his brother was trying to put up.

"Try me."

Kili nearly choked when the name was uttered from his sibling and he thought back to the person he had seen in the crowd earlier. He had thought that he was seeing things and it was just someone that looked like their childhood friend, but his assumption had clearly been correct despite him still unable to believe it.

"Are you sure it was her? I thought I saw her in the crowd when we walked through but it could've been anyone." Kili mumbled to Fili so no one else could hear their private conversation although some of the other members at the table were eyeing them suspiciously.

"You saw her and you didn't tell me!" Fili whispered back but he was slightly angry that his brother had kept information like that from him.

"I'm sorry Fee, I didn't think it was her. I mean how could it be? She's dead… right?"

"No, she's not." Kili's face paled and he swallowed knowing how upset his brother could be.

"But how –"

"What are you two talking about?" Thorin said loudly interrupting the princes chat and their heads swivelled around to face their uncle with wide eyes.

"Nothing of importance." Fili quickly chirped hoping it would be enough for Thorin to drop his inquiery and leave them, him alone; but Kili elbowed him in the ribs and glared at him with a knowing look.

"Are you kidding Fee, of course this is important. You know how close he and their mother was, if they're alive she must be too." Kili whispered and then turned back to their uncles scrutinizing but cheerful gaze.

"When we first walked in for the celebration, I thought I saw Inca Thopal, the girl from our childhood. But thought nothing of it because of the situation that happened." Kili explained gesturing with his hands as he went but Thorin kept very still, analyzing his words and listening carefully. "But Fee just said he bumped into her in the corridor and is sure that it was her."

For a while the King remained silent flicking his eyes between his nephews and the casting them over the mass of dancing dwarves throughout the hall. "Are you sure it was her?" He eventually asked, although he might have seemed calm and bothered, behind his eyes and tongue his mind was as wild as the princes at the possibility and they needed answers.

"I'm sure."

* * *

Inca rushed back to the table where her siblings were sat, merrily drinking themselves into oblivion – well, Sady less so but even she was chugging a mug of ale alongside her brother as cheers echoed around them. She sat down quickly and shifted herself onto the bench trying her best to fake cheeriness so she wouldn't be questioned.

Soon though her worries were briefly washed away when alcohol was placed in front of her and she re-joined the spiralling mess that every dwarves head was in. After several more pints though she didn't seem to be feeling any drunker and couldn't get certain thoughts out of her head. Glancing up at the head table she saw the three Durin's talking between themselves with serious expressions and when the King surveyed the hall she knew that they were probably talking about her.

"Come on, we better leave." Inca said quietly tugging on her twin's arm and fgrabbing her sisters from across the table.

"What? Why? Oh come on we're just getting started!" Noly cried clearly upset and his eyes trying to turn into full circles as he almost begged his sister to let them stay. Even Sady, the usual responsible one was whining in protest.

"You've had enough to drink besides it's getting late." Inca said sternly standing and crossing her arms over her chest at the pair exaggeratingly whimpering but she only rolled her eyes at them and went to pluck them off the bench again.

"That's not a good enough reason." Sady said determined crossing her own arms and huffing like a stubborn child. "Besides-"

"Fine. The real reason is that the _King_ knows we're here and is searching for us. I don't know about you but I do not want to ruin the celebrations in order for us to be interrogated. Now you either come nicely or I will drag you out. You know I will." She raised her eyebrows at them and they immediately shut up at the short information and shot up from their seats.

They quickly hurried out after Noly had sneakily grabbed three mugs of ale and was attempting to drink them as they shuffled through the crowd, picking up more along the way. Flicking around to check that both drunk siblings were there she had to snatch her twins hand away from stealing another drink and pull him towards the door.

After they had gotten through the entrance and were outside of the Kingdom's congregation Inca began power walking in the general direction of there house although truthfully she had no idea where they were meant to be going. Sady and Noly followed her like puppies occasionally swaying and babbling on about something.

Inca was just about to give up and sleep on the floor of the corridor when two guards walked around a corner clearly on a mission but that didn't matter to Inca, they needed directions.

"Excuse me, you couldn't take us too –" Inca began hopefully trying her best to be innocent and polite so that they would take pity on her and help them all get back home, but one of the guards stopped her mid sentence.

"Are you Incanus Thopal?" He asked bluntly, seemingly taking no notice of her ask for help and his face conveyed no emotion except duty.

"Umm yes? Why?" Inca replied hesitantly not wanting to tell the truth in fear of what could come next but lying could land her and her siblings in more trouble. Speaking of her siblings they were nowhere to be found and had obviously run off at the first siting of the guards in their drunken and idiotic stupor. She cursed inwardly but didn't get much time to think about that when one of the guards grabbed her arms and held them behind her back.

"King Thorin wants to see you." He only replied when she squeaked in shock and slight pain at the rough movement but then his words sunk in and all other thoughts evaded her.

 _Oh fuck._

* * *

 **So another cliffhanger I guess. So the 'real' story will begin now seeing as the 'build up' has finished. If any of you want to suggest plot lines and twists or even little scenes you want me to write for this story I'd really appreciate it as at the moment I haven't got anything planned so I'd love to get some suggestions! I love you all x**


	8. Truthful but Harsh Memories

**"There is no greater warrior than a mother protecting her child"**

 **\- N.K. Jemisin**

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 **Big thanks to debatable-cerealkiller, Selene Tyler Smith, bums and** **LOVEmiSSinvisiBLE for following this story! It means a lot so thank you! Also, 1500 views! That's pretty crazy and I love all you guys, you're all so awesome!**

 **Arenal Mereneth - I wonder too! Hopefully this will let you know why they left and as for what Thorin has to say you'll have to wait until next update!**

 **FiliandKili'sGirl18 - You certainly can steal Fili! Or we could just clone him and everyone could have one! Don't worry though Thorin won't be needing a slap but feel free to send one to a certain someone this chapter if you deem it appropriate!**

 **lovingthisbook - Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it and hopefully there relationship will build until there friends again, at least that's what I'm planning at the moment. Who knows what's going to happen!**

* * *

Truthful but Harsh Memories

\- 56 Years Ago -

 _"Come on! Let's go!" Sady said pulling her mother out of the door and towards her siblings that were betting on who would kill the most game on their trip._

 _"Right, we all ready?" Astrid asked and her three children smiled and hummed in response. Noly and Inca had been hunting previously but it was Sady's first time, and despite not being a fighter or someone capable of taking a life, she still insisted on going for a day out._

 _They all began the walk into the nearby woods, chatting about this and that whilst Sady squealed in excitement at the prospect of it all. She had seen her siblings training and always wished she could be like them with their weapons and amazing techniques. Her sister especially was wonderful to watch, she moved with such grace yet ferocity and was envious of her but never let herself become nasty._

 _Despite wishing she could fight and hunt, Sady never really got the chance as she was much more skilled at cooking and cleaning, the 'usual' things expected of a dwarf maiden; and even when she had tried she did not have the strength to wield the weapons and could tell that she would never be good enough. However she never let that get her down and instead enjoyed watching her sibling's spar in the sun, rain, snow and sometimes thunder. It was a way for the three to bond even though Sady was more on the side-lines._

 _"Sady hush there's a deer." Inca suddenly whispered and the younger girl immediately stopped her squeals and watched as her older sister silently eased the bow off her back and nocked an arrow to its string. Everyone watched as she pulled the bow string back and looked down the shaft of the arrow at her target, mindlessly grazing unaware of its inevitable death. At least it was having a happy and peaceful last moment._

 _The quiet twang of the string sent the arrow spinning towards the deer's heart and half embedded itself into the flesh of the doe's side. It let out a harsh squeak before it flopped onto its side to lie limply in the soft grass. Inca smiled at the others and received them in return, they jumped from their crouching position and jogged towards their pray._

 _Noly knelt down next to it and stroked along the soft brown fur before his hand trailed to the arrow, half sticking out of the flesh. He wrapped his hands around the shaft and tugged gently on it so it came out in a single pull completely undamaged but slightly blood soaked. Sady watched over his shoulder as he pulled the arrow out so swiftly that no blood blemished the pure fur around its mark and barely any sound was heard from the torn muscle and body. She had half expected it to be messy, with blood and puss oozing out of it like a blackened wart but it wasn't. The flesh was a pinkish colour like her sisters cheeks with a slight red tint, not the horror or damage she thought it would be. She was glad it wasn't what she imagined though because, despite not being afraid of blood, she wasn't sure how she would've reacted or how she should've reacted in that situation - this was just easier._

 _However, as Noly pulled out a small knife and was about to skin the deer at their feet a twig snapped loudly behind them. All five of them turned around in shock and Inca had already pulled the string of her bow back in preparation, but she was faced with a mirror of herself._

 _Nine male dwarves stood facing them with their weapons out and ready for a fight. Looking around they were all rather bulky and Sady could see them flexing their muscles to intimidate her family, she then noticed that snapping the twig must have been intentionally leading her into a mind-set of fear where nothing seemed to link together in the world of sense._

 _The man that had crushed the wood under his foot was stood in front of Inca his own arrow only inches from her own. Astrid's maternal instinct kicked in at that point and she moved in between the archers with her sword in hand, gently twirling it around as if limbering up._

 _"What's this?" The man stated almost jeeringly and he moved his bow down retracting the string but keeping the arrow locked in place. He turned to look at his companions with a wicked smirk which they returned with low evil chuckles. "Hold on a minute I know you lot."_

 _He turned back around and pointed a hand at Astrid who stood proudly with the twins on either side and Sady hid behind the human shield her family had created; the three dwarves had their weapons at the ready. Unlike the leader of the opposing group, Inca had not lowered her bow and had it trained on each dwarves head, slowly moving it to the next dwarf, lining them up just in case it came to violence._

 _"You're Astrid Thopal, wife of Yurin Thopal, advisor to King Thror when he ruled under the mountain." Astrid didn't wince at his knowledge of her for he knew exactly who he was and would not fall weak to him on this occasion. "And this is your little family."_

 _He had butterscotch blonde hair like Sady's and a thick beard that continued down his neck but did not hang off him in fancy styles like some of the dwarves behind him. Another mocking laugh came from his lips and he looked past Astrid's deep red hair to look at the younger girl stood behind the puffed chests of the other two._

 _"Oh so she is real." He said tauntingly looking from Sady back to Astrid, not even noticing her other children and their threatening stances. However he was not getting the reaction he wanted from Astrid, she was showing no emotion, no fear, no memories only strength and stubbornness._

 _"Well first of all that deer you shot down belongs to me – " He began and this was where Inca's self-control in politics and mind games failed her and she instantly interrupted._

 _"Says who? We shot it down fair and square!" She protested stepping forward slightly, she would've moved further had it not been for her mother's arm being pushed out as a barrier despite not looking at her._

 _"Says me." He simply replied and before the argument could further itself he removed his attention from the eldest daughter and back to the youngest and the mother._

 _"Oh you do remember me don't you Astrid?" He teased and the others chuckled at her menacingly. "You do remember us? How could you forget after all?" Noly went to ask what he meant but Astrid only hushed him._

 _"Well, as you know all too well, I take what is mine and what I want. And she belongs to me, so do you if I think correctly. We'd all like another go, wouldn't you say lads?" The dwarves behind him only cheered but still Astrid remained quiet and resilient to his jeering, he was trying to provoke a reaction out of her and he wouldn't get it._

 _Out of nowhere he got that reaction._

 _With a click of his fingers and an eyebrow raise four men strode forward in less than a second and grabbed the twins without giving them a chance to react. They were held on either side of Astrid and she cried out in shock along with their shouts._

 _"Hey get off me! Noly!" Inca shouted writhing around in the dwarves arms relentlessly looking at her brother in earnest and attempting to reach out to his own wriggling body. That was until she saw shiny steel pressed to her twin's neck and felt the cold metal on her own. This provoked another reaction in Astrid, and she began crying almost begging for them to be released._

 _"Stop stop! Don't hurt them, please!" She cried looking at her children, who with a hand signal could be dead in a second, blood spilling from their throats as the hostile dwarves cackled around her. She turned back to the main man all strength gone. "I'll do anything please!"_

 _"Anything eh?" He asked earning another round of hellish chortles from the other gang members. "Well lads, how about we give her another blondie to remember me by?" They all agreed and he stepped forward, forgetting his bow on the floor so his hands were free._

 _As he walked towards her torturously slowly, her eyes began to glaze over and she bowed her head in shame not wanting her children to be here, not wanting them to be anywhere but safe in her arms at their home with walls to protect them from the bandits that surrounded them._

 _The rest went by in a blur along with a mixture of screams from the children and whimpers from the mother. Her clothing was ripped off of her piece by piece, exposing more and more skin until the man gave up on the games and tore her trousers off in one sharp pull. Then bending her over in front of him whilst she cried and more screams filled the woods he defiled her, taking away every inch of dignity she had gained since the last time they had encountered, since the last time he did the same act to her._

 _After a short time of watching the horrifying act of her mother being raped and abused, Inca's fear had turned into a fiery rage – and her fire could not be put out by a tsunami if it spat and crackled. She forgot completely about the risks and the knife pressing against her pulse along with the arms holding her own behind her._

 _She lashed out intensely her foot landing in her personal captors groin whilst her teeth bit harshly into his hand. The man retracted his grip in pain releasing the knife from his clutches immediately waiting to be caught by Inca. In her fit of outrage she grabbed the dagger and spun around slashing the man's throat and then stabbing the second dwarf in the chest multiple times. At the shock of violence appearing to the right of the clearing, Noly took his own chance to do the same to the two dwarves holding him._

 _Inca grabbed her weapons along with her brother and a fight scene began. Because of the ambush style attack half of the gang members had not been prepared to battle and where instead watching their leader take the poor woman, waiting for their own turn and enjoying it immensely. Therefore most of them were dead or twitching on the floor within a matter of seconds. At the sudden battle the blonde leader pulled out and grabbed Astrid by the neck holding her out in front of him with a dagger trained on her stomach. The rest of the dwarves were lying dead, arrows and sword wounds covering their bodies along with a coating of blood._

 _The woods fell silent other than a small whimper escaping their mother's lips as the knife point was pushed further into her skin causing blood to drip out of the small puncture forming._

 _"Surrender or she dies!" He called and Inca and Noly turned to face them with anger which quickly faded at the depth of the situation and decision. They instantly dropped their weapons to the floor to save their mother. They were trying to protect her and had to choose which way was the kindest towards her and the best way to keep her safe._

 _"No! Don't! Run!" Astrid tried to call but her attempts were in vain because suddenly the dagger was raised away from her and swung back into her torso with immense force._

 _Breath left her mouth and lungs in a shaky gasp and the man cackled behind her as she began to fall limper in his arms. But his laugh didn't last long as Sady had picked up a sword from the floor and had dug it as far into his back as she could. The blonde man fell to the ground but Inca's attention didn't stay on his wriggling form._

 _Astrid too fell to her knees and instantly her three children were by her side in her final moment were she was clawing on to say as much as she could to the stars of her own life before she waited them in the afterlife._

 _Inca's gentle hands cradled her mother's head whilst she tried to stay awake. Everything was swimming ever so slowly into focus, pale blue of the sky dominating Astrid's entire vision. The ground was hard, but she felt warm – yet, not uncomfortably so – though it was difficult for her to perceive anything much at all. She felt all so… fuzzy._

 _The urgent sound of her own name caught her attention, the face of her auburn-haired princess appearing before her eyes whilst another similar face and a blonde version sat further away, watching with tears in their eyes and streaks of salty water running down their cheeks. Fear – no, panic – clouded Inca's eyes, though none of it was for her own self, despite her battered appearance, dirt and blood caking on her skin from the scuffle._

 _"Inca?" she whispered, wincing as a sharp stab of red pain raced through her middle._

 _Inca jumped at her voice, immediately going on with trying to soothe her mother, promising that "you'll be okay" and "I swear you'll make it out alive". In all honesty, the words were so very comforting to Astrid, but, even in her haze of confusion and pain, she could glean an idea of what had happened – and of what was to come. The world was sluggishly turning dimmer, the air just a slight bit colder. It was no far stretch to imagine the bright incarnadine which pooled around her prone form, staining the grounds of the mini battlefield._

 _"Hush," Astrid breathed carefully, compensating for the agony of her wound, hoping all the while that her soft voice had not been lost to the gentle wind in the woods. Inca ceased in her rambling, gray-blue eyes wide and shining, shimmering, with unshed tears. "You worry too much, amralime. The end is come. I am glad for it to have been with you three. The lights of my life, you make me so proud. And I'm happy I spent my last moments protecting you"_

 _But she only shook her head vehemently, already mussed auburn hair flying about her features, now twisted in grief. "No, it should not have ended this way. We should have protected you. I should have."_

 _But the world had already blurred to gray for Astrid. The time had come. "I love you all. I love my three babies"_

 _"No. No. Don't. Please. Please, don't do this." The world faded, darker and darker. "Stay awake, just stay awake. Don't – don't go. Don't leave. Please…don't leave."_

 _Nothing._

 _And suddenly clear once more._

 _Astrid watched from the outside, her auburn princess hugging close her own mortal remains along with her twin brother and younger sister – all too young too have seen such atrocities - her head shaking vehemently as she whispered pleas. "Come – come back. Come back to us. Please. I love you. We all love you. Just…come back. Don't – don't you dare be gone. Please. Please…"_

 _And she wanted nothing more than to do just that, live out that life with her children that she had created. But she could naught but watch and wish a final, silent farewell as the winds carried her to the lands beyond._

 _Goodbye, my loves._

* * *

 **Errr... Sorry about that and possible feels I may have caused you. So yeah... shit went down all those years ago. Let me know what you think and feel free to send bitch slaps or feels? Love you all x**


	9. Unwanted Answers

**"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return"**

 **\- Moulin Rouge**

* * *

 **Big thanks to Sarah March for following this story! Love you all!**

 **lovingthisbook – I don't want to say I'm glad I made you cry so instead I'll say that I'm glad it had an effect on you and you enjoyed it? Aha thank you though it took me a while to fully decide on what was actually gonna go down so I'm glad you liked it!**

 **Sarah March – Aw thank you for checking out this story as well! I hope you like it and don't worry, your English is great!**

* * *

Unwanted Answers

 _"Come on, we'll find them don't worry." Thorin said putting a comforting hand on his eldest nephews shoulder and looking him in the eye. Fili's face was a mixture of emotions; from fear to worry, to nervousness to determination and anger. "I've sent as many guards as I can out to look for them. I'm using all the power I can to get them home safe, don't worry Fili."_

 _The young dwarf who was only twenty six pushed his uncle's hand off his shoulder in spite and his face turned stern, using all his willpower to be strong and not to break down in front of everyone. Thorin blinked at his hand that had been shoved away in disgust with slight confusion at the dwarfs change in mood. He was usually optimistic and sunny but now a storm cloud lingered over the butterscotch blond prince's head, dampening his, and everyone in the Blue Mountains, mood dramatically._

 _"What good is power if you can't protect the ones you love?" He said smoothly with a hint of rage in his tongue as he clearly pronunciated the words with slight poison. Then without any more words he forcefully pushed past his Uncle and off down a nearby corridor towards the stables._

* * *

Inca shook the guards hand's off her and confidently walked in front of them towards the throne chamber. Well she tried to look confident, but on the inside her mind was racing, thinking of every possible situation and how she would react to certain questions. Frankly she hadn't got a clue about the specifics of why King Thorin wanted to see her, she could have a guess but it seemed a bit too petty a suggestion to put on hold his own joy and part in the celebration.

Eventually they came to a set of stone doors with a few ribbons of patterns carved into the jade tinted rock. An image of the Arkenstone sat proudly above the doors and a set of runes which Inca didn't have the time to read before one of the guards had pushed open the stone and was pulling her inside.

Once stood within the room's walls the guards promptly left her to stand alone with a long walk ahead of her. Inca bit her lip and swallowed at the sight in front of her. As she wandered along a walkway three statues of dwarves stood on either side, all brandishing hammers and looking down upon the walker like the God's did to the universe. At the end of the open hallway was a large stone throne embellished with golden scales and an empty plaque that was halfway to being removed completely. The throne sat atop a set of stairs and upon the seat was a dwarf.

His raven black hair fell over his shoulders in impressive waves whilst a sapphire crown made its home upon his head. He wore a regal navy tunic that was mildly armored but still kept up the warrior appearance. On one side of the throne was a female version of the seated and on the other was a duo, one butterscotch blonde and the over a dark brown going on black like the Kings.

Gulping once more and flinging her hair over her shoulders, leaving only a few auburn strands to float on her chest, Inca took a deep breath and began her own personal walk of shame with the attempt of a confident strut between mild trembles. Eventually she slowed her walk when she reached the bottom of the stairs and immediately dropped into a low curtsy, thankful for the opportunity to avert her eyes to the floor as the King had had his trained on he the whole time she crossed the room.

"Incanus Thopal." He announced to the three over people in the room. No guards stood watch. It was just the four of them, all studying her carefully. "I trust you know why I have brought you here."

She rose to her full height again and subconsciously clasped her hands together and began squeezing and massaging her thumb with nerves. She struggled to keep eye contact with the King's icy blues and so instead looked at the stone underneath his arm.

Inca found herself unable to speak in the awkward tension and so instead choose to lightly shake her head to avoid stuttering herself to an early but most likely wanted grave.

"There's no need to be afraid, we just wanted to ask you a few questions, that's all." He stated calmly, sensing the fear in her wide eyes and she nodded her head, speech once again failing her.

Inca briefly glanced at the two princes. The brunette was clearly finding the situation slightly awkward and was unsure about how to react to her presense but gave her a small smile anyway despite it having the usual meaning and sparkle. The blonde's eyes however were boring into her with an unknown fury and look of hurt coming from betrayal. At the mixed feelings coming from them she turned her head back to the King and tried to give an easy smile.

"Ask away." She said nervously and moved her hands around to her back so they wouldn't see them shaking.

"Fifty six years ago you and your family disappeared from the Blue Mountains with only a small note to tell us of your removal from the society. In that note you said you were 'fleeing' from someone. What happened?"

Inca closed her eyes and kept them shut the whole time she retold the story of why they fled, the full truth down to every last detail of the horrible memory about how their mother died. She remembered it like she could be living it, it would never leave her and nothing could be worse than watching the scene replay over and over again, often haunting her when she tried to sleep. The royal family was silent and when she opened her eyes the steely stern gazes were gone and had been replaced by shock, pity and sadness.

"I don't want your pity because I can't take it. It was my fault, I could have done something, I could've stopped it, I could've –" Inca stopped her listing when tears brightened her eyes and went to slither down her cheek.

"Inca none of this was your fault," Dis began soothingly "but you could've stayed in the Blue Mountains, where it was safe."

"They were dwarves, I had seen a couple of them in the city, and one of them survived. He ran off in the fight before we could kill him. I was scared, they knew our family I had lost my mother I was not going to lose my siblings." She averted her eyes to her feet in shame that she had failed them failed her mother. Thorin sighed heavily at the news, he had been close friends with their mother and the news that she had died in such an awful degrading way was not pleasant, but it still left questions unanswered.

"Where did you go?" He asked carefully but when he looked up he saw that the girl had wiped away any possible tears and was showing no more emotion to them.

"Well we moved around a lot but we mainly stayed in villages or towns of men. But we've stayed in Bree for the last decade or so after the threat left us." Inca shrugged only rattling out information, it didn't matter now it was in the past so it shouldn't pose any questions.

"How did you make a living?" Thorin pushed on, his tone becoming less sympathetic again but still friendly. He was not stern or unkind like he was carrying out an interrogation which was what they were doing but he didn't want her or anyone to believe that.

"Me and Noly worked as mercenary's for a while and Sady cooked and cleaned. But then less people decided that they didn't want protectors so work in that area diminished. Noly went on to becoming a laborer and helping with agriculture."

"And you?"

"I… often worked as a barmaid but when we moved on from that village I became a dancing girl at some taverns and I worked in a brothel for around seven years." Again her head ducked in shame about her past that could be frowned upon for what she did. Glancing up briefly to look at Fili, Inca saw that his eyes had practically popped out of his head and he had a very solemn almost disappointed look on his face whilst Kili was looking at his brother in mild panic.

"I think that's enough questions for now." Dis said to her brother and he nodded tiredly back clearly exasperated by the conversation and the thoughts rushing around his mind.

"I agree, you are dismissed."

* * *

Inca half ran half walked home, striding as fast as she could without bouncing from picking up the pace and arousing suspicion. She was battling with her eyes over tears trying to wipe them away before they began their steady mission to her chin but she was failing abysmally.

"Oh God damn it why do you even care!" She scolded herself from being so pathetic about crying from a simple interrogation about her past. They had every right to question but they did not have the right for some of them to react in the way they did.

"You barely know the guy anyway! Sure you might have done when you were six but now you're not; and Mahal he's a prince he doesn't care about you so why do you care what he thinks!" Her cruel mind kept replaying the shocking disappointment in his face when she'd revealed about some of her less desirable work. She wasn't proud of the acts themselves but she was proud of the mental and physical sacrifice she made to keep her siblings happy, and more importantly: alive.

Grumbling again she rounded a corner with such speed she shoved a swaying dwarf into a wall and then had to stop momentarily to apologise whilst walking backwards away from him. Then turning on her heel her strides began again and she swept down the floor her dress flowing out behind her like a cape – or a carpet cleaner.

When she eventually reached the door to their house it was jammed so she had to ram her shoulder into the stone several times before it suddenly swung open sending her tripping into the living room and crashing the drunken after party her siblings were having.

"Oh so this is where you too fucked off to I see." Inca said spitefully tears running down her face at that point and her cheeks hot with every emotion under the sun. The two drunks sobered up immediately and halted their cheerful cackling. Despite his alcohol ensued state, Noly jumped up from the sofa instantly and ran over to his sister placing his arms on her shoulders.

"What happened?" He asked, far too serious to be true with the amount of ale residing in his stomach and brain, Inca might as well have hit him over the head with a brick or dropped a waterfall on him.

"I told them everything." Inca sobbed, her once unbroken mentality shattered by the overwhelming feelings and memories consuming her from every angle of her being. Noly wrapped his arms around her and let his twin place her forehead to his shoulder hot tears dripping onto his tunic and soaking through to his skin. Soon Sady joined them and between the two siblings gently guided her to the sofa and soothed her to sleep; her crying becoming sniffling, her temperature returning to normal and her scrunched face relaxing to drift into peaceful dreams.

* * *

"Look all I'm saying is you should be glad that she's even alive and so well bearing in mind what she went through." Kili said as he hurried behind his brother through the corridors, trying to keep up with the blondes powerful and angry strides.

"A whore Kili!" He shouted suddenly, turning around to face his brother with a red face and outraged expression. Then realising how loud he had been brought his voice down to a whisper but kept the angry tone. "And all I'm saying is that she would've been better off staying with us."

They began the walk to the Royal wing and inevitably to their plush chambers. Kili sighed dramatically at his brother who was not seeing sense and was too stubborn to take everything into perspective.

"She did what she had to do to protect her family. Why can't you see that?" The brunette said annoyed and threw his head back with a palm on his forehead whilst his brother continued to storm down the regal red carpet and to the door of his room.

"Fine then. You know what? If you hate the idea of her selling her body then why do you still care about her? The past isn't going to change Fee, what happened, happened; now you've either got to deal with it or move on and forget her completely."

Fili said nothing in return to the truth his brother was spilling, he didn't want to hear it, didn't want to know, didn't want to care. But he did. He did still care. And he knew with all his heart that he needed to be cautious otherwise his world would crumble again, he would feel the same heartbreak. He didn't want to get his hopes up about her only for them to be torn back down. So maybe he should heed his brothers words and try to forget her, ignore her to protect himself.

But somehow, despite his mind raging at his heart, he couldn't see himself letting go.

* * *

 **I don't really know what to say about this chapter, so they've met all the cards are on the table and I guess we'll just have to see wherre to go from now. If you've got any suggestions for small little scenes or even plot twists I would love to hear them because I need some inspiration for this story so please let me know!**

 **Oh I almost forgot, do you want Tauriel to be in this story as a partner for Kili or a different character? This will follow the FilixOC story not Kili's love interest but I feel like he needs a partner. So tell me what you think! x**


	10. The Side Effects of Medicine

**"Stand up for what is right - even if you stand alone"**

 **\- Unknown**

* * *

 **Big thanks to izatellles, Ancient-0-Warrior, blackandredbrittany and Dark-Light-Devil666 and Alis94for following this story! It means a lot!**

 **lovingthisbook – Don't worry it gets better for them both and thanks for the help with Kili.**

 **FiliandKili'sgirl18 – So I might have taken your suggestion with the make up and kiss thing….!**

 **Aranel Mereneth – You literally guessed exactly what's going on! And I think overall the vote is for no Tauriel.**

 **Sarah March – Thank you for your help! So no Tauriel, got it!**

 **Guest – Oh my god that would be funny. I'll have to think about it! It could be a possibility!**

* * *

The Side Effects of Medicine

"Oh come on, it'll be fun! After all, alcohol is the best medicine." Sady stated attempting to pull her moping sister out of her bed which had become her temporary home for the past three days. "You can't keep on sulking in here. Now, are you going to come willingly or am I going to have to pull you out and drag you to the hall?"

Inca only groaned a 'leave me alone' and rolled back over, retaking her position as a curled up hamster beneath the sheets. She had missed out on the past three days of celebrations, not wanting to go and create awkward tension and this night would be the finale of the ongoing party being held within the mountain. The final night was much like the first except people would be more drunk, more joyful and more up for merry dancing despite the disabilities their intoxication was causing them.

The fact was that Inca did not want to go. She would only get drunk and cause further embarrassment to herself in front of the Royal family who already disliked her. It would not be 'fun'.

"Right that is it." Sady announced and grabbed Inca's shoulders from beneath the duvet cover and began to wrestle her older sister out of the bed and onto her feet.

"Just because a certain prince," she remarked between breaths and pulling with all her might as Inca thrashed around to claw her way back into the sheets of her haven of self-pity. "Gives you a certain bloody look - oh Mahal you're getting fat - does not mean - bloody hell woman - that you are going to wallow in bed feeling sorry for yourself." She finally exhaled her stress when her sister had been successfully yanked out and was sitting on the floor with a frown.

"I was comfy." Inca grumbled huffing as she made an effort to cross her arms in her last attempt at being defiant. Sady only rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow though, knowing she had won the battle and maybe even the war that had stretched over the three days of misery.

"Get ready we're leaving in ten. With you, not without." Sady almost commanded but it was in a family friendly sort of way, although Inca couldn't help but feel like she was a child being told what to do by a parent.

After her younger sister had left the room and the door had clicked shut, Inca sighed and flung herself into the stone floor looking up at the ceiling with a blank face. Simply stating at the slight pattern that had been carved into the rock above her. Just thinking, mulling everything over in her head.

"Oh fuck it why not."

* * *

Fili was currently sat in his brother's study whilst his mother buttoned up his sibling's tunic for him. He was staring at the wall his eyes vacant and distant with only one thought able to remain in his mind, driving all the trains and kicking any other idea out of his brain before it could enter.

"I wonder if she'll come tonight." Kili stated with an optimistic smile and the insinuation of the person caught his brother's attention as it was the same person that would not leave his every thought. Noticing his brother's sudden interest in the conversation he smirked and probed further.

"It was an awful thing that happened to her family and it's understandable why she left." He innocently spoke but in a way that it was obvious he was purposefully digging deeper and was trying to do something. However neither his mother or his brother seemed to catch on to his little scheme despite his bad attempts at holding back small laughs and smiles.

"Yes it was. It's a shame, although we should all be glad that she's alive and well." Dis agreed and after finishing with Kili's tunic they both made their way to sit on the love seat at the end of the younger prince's bed; although no love was happening except the unconditional family bond they shared.

Before Kili could have another chance at saying and luring more, Fili had slammed his fist down onto the desk in anger causing both other family members to jump in shock and glance at each other, Dis in confusion but Kili in smugness.

"It's not fair!" The blonde suddenly blurted out. "She's slept with other men!"

"Yes she may have done but you need to understand her situation. She sacrificed herself to look after her family, in my books that's a very brave thing to do." Dis pointed out, not having the effort to get fiery back at her son and choose to be diplomatic instead hoping it would make him realise.

Of course she had known something had been bothering Fili since the day Inca stood in front of them and retold her tale, he seemed agitated and jealous but not once had he voiced his strange behaviour. He had brushed it off any time she or someone asked about it and eventually she learnt that it was just best to leave him be. She understood that it must be odd for him almost traumatic that an old friend and somewhat partner to suddenly appear with a less than idyllic story of why they disappeared without saying a full goodbye.

"But she was meant to be mine! I was going to marry her! I _loved_ her!" He continued seeming to dismiss the suggestion of understanding and instead went on with unloading his rant and anger onto the two dwarves.

"I know you did, but frankly, shit happens and there's nothing we can do about it." She said very sternly rising from her seat and walking over to her son who was breathing rather heavily after venting his emotions and looked almost on the brink of bursting into tears. "Now come on, let's go get drunk and have a good time." She smiled at Fili trying to comfort him and he gave her a sad nod in reply. It was like he was a toddler again with his mother looking after him but to be honest he didn't care and was only glad he had his family to support him when he needed it as he would to them.

* * *

Fili had been watching Inca for a while. Her smile killing him. Once in a minute their eyes met and she regularly motioned with her hand, asking him to join her. But he shook his head every time she did. Her hair danced around her like crimson fire. Her laughter moving through skin and bones. Her dress flowing around her like water to contrast the flames of her dark auburn hair. She was carefree the extremely high alcohol levels causing her to regret nothing and forget everything except the moment she was living in. Her mind set fifty six years late when everything was perfect and happy.

Sadly, dancing has never been Fili's strongest part. He feared he would hurt her feet with his two left. He was stood with Thorin, Balin and Dwalin, talking about creating a council, which doesn't have his interest at that very moment. He keep staring at her while Thorin asked him something about what the first subject will be at the first meeting. But his ears are closed, and Thorin just decided to leave it at that.

"Aye, the boy is in love Thorin." Fili heard Balin say while he moved himself 30 feet away from them.

His previous anger had faded and all he could see was her lighting up the room with the same love and personality that he had fallen for all those years ago. Despite himself trying to forget her and move on with his life whilst she was presumed dead, beneath his optimistic outlook on love he knew there would never be anyone to replace Inca. She was too special to him and everyone around her to be replaced. Suddenly the music changed to a faster pace and he lost her in the crowd that joined the floor.

"Will you join me, my prince?" He heard a familiar voice behind his ear. Turning his head around his eyes caught the blue crystals filled with the same mischief and recklessness that was in his brothers. And he could not help himself. Well maybe the amount of ale in his own stomach was causing his mind to haze and the best options, the more selfish and proper options were lost in the fog.

'It's my pleasure.' He said, knowing that he would regret it.

She took his hand and pulled him with her. He felt Thorin's eyes watching him and without even having to look he knew it was one of the rare times he smirked.

His feet started to move praying he wouldn't trample hers. Inca's movements were way more elegant than his completely sticking the middle finger up at the general wisdom of the affect drink has on the body.

When they met each other on the middle of the floor she suddenly stopped, while everyone around the, continued. She cupped his cheeks and smiled, then without warning or thought of the consequences pressed her lips against his.

'WOOHOOO!' People started to yell and clap and above all the other noise Inca's siblings were heard loud and clear. Even Thorin didn't seemed to mind it. But Fili's high dropped when he saw the shock and slight horror on her face instead of the merry grin she had been previously sporting.

"I'm sorry… I'm so so sorry…" She stammered shaking her head with wide eyes and backing away from him. "I… I have to go." And with that she took off being lost in the crowd of other dwarves and leaving Fili alone with his mouth open ready to protest with no words available.

* * *

Inca ran out of the doors but didn't get very far away from them as she crashed into a wall in a corridor that led off from the doors. She was struggling to not cry as the dizziness and merriment that the alcohol had caused her vanished from her mind leaving her head to angrily pulsate with overwhelming emotions about her stupid actions.

"Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry." She repeated to herself as she leant against the wall and fanned her eyes in an attempt to stop tears from falling. "How could you be so stupid! Note to self, never drink again. Actually fuck that it makes me feel better. Note to self, never drink around important people that possibly hate you and by kissing them makes situations even worse when all you wanted to do was lie low and get on with your dumb life!" She ranted reprimanding herself like it was another person talking to her instead, maybe she was going mad.

A dwarf was walking towards her through the darkness with a tankard in hand and swaying slightly with every step causing the strong ale to spill over the sides. When he came into the light of the torch balancing above Inca she took her chance and grabbed the ale from his hands, after he not so elegantly offered it to her with a wavering hand, and tipped it back down her throat. It seemed like he was about to continue his groggy state and walk past her down the corridor when he stopped after the first couple of teetering steps.

"What's a… pretty young thi-warf like you doing alone by urself en?" He asked his words slurring together in an incomprehensible sentence with only a few hints to his right mind. In her current broken and emotional mental state, Inca didn't catch on to the signs of his drunken intention and took the question rather literally.

"Just having a bit of a break down that's all. Deciding it's probably best if I die alone." She jested laughing slightly in an attempt to lighten her mood and avoid sympathy which she achieved.

"Well you dun haveo be arone now do ur." He said stumbling forward and trapping Inca to the wall with his arms. That was when she finally caught on, more so when his hand went to grope her rather clumsily.

"Hey! Get off me!" She said disgusted and batted his arm away with some force. When she went to leave through the opening his missing arm caused she found herself grabbed again and violently thrown against the wall his hand wrapping around her throat whilst his other stroked her sides. She kicked out at him but to no avail and tried to pull his hand away from her throat but was not strong enough.

"Oi!" Someone suddenly shouted from further down the dark hallway catching the drunken dwarf's attention for enough time so that Inca could aim her knee perfectly to the groin, his grip releasing immediately in the pain. Then she shoved him down to the floor and went to kick him for good measure but another set of arms wrapped themselves around her middle. These arms were different, she felt safe in them and knew they wouldn't try and hurt her like the previous ones did.

"Leave." The new man said and the drunk scrambled to his feet and ran off down the hall tripping halfway there. "Are you alright?" Inca went to answer to the soft and caring voice but when her 'saviour' turned around her mood turned sour.

"Fine thank you." She replied rather bluntly with a slight cutting undertone. She went to turn to leave but a hand on her shoulder stopped her although she could easily push it off and walk on.

"Inca what's wrong? Why did you leave?" She turned around in his gentle grip to look at Fili who's face was conveying rejection and true concern.

"Nothing's wrong." She replied in the same manner conveying that something clearly was wrong.

"Oh for Mahal's sake Inca!" Fili suddenly shouted taking her by surprise and her sarcastic frown disappeared to make way for her wide eyes full of shock and confusion.

"You know, I have to be really careful when I start thinking about you." He began his slight rant, clearly his earlier vent was not enough but Inca did not interrupt she could find no words to. "I always get ahead of myself and I think that you're coming back to me and I get my hopes up. Then nothing happens and I feel used again. Maybe I shouldn't let you in at all and just ignore you from the start but I would never have to courage to throw you away the way you did to me."

Inca's face screwed up and unscrewed so many expression passing through her muscles until a slightly taken aback one appeared on top. She snorted and gasped at his little speak and couldn't believe what he had just said so her mouth hung open for a little while longer.

"Wait you think I wanted to leave? How dare you tell me that! Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever done! But I see coming back was all for nothing, seeing as I care so little to you that you'd say such a thing, maybe I should leave again because I'm so courageous. You know what, fuck you! This is such a mess I should never have come back. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go home now."

Inca turned to leave completely struck by the whole night, her head was spinning but she managed to keep her cool and tried to walk away confidently throwing her hand up in the air. Fili stood watching her go as if in a trance. He was mentally slapping himself over and over again realising how stupid he had been and decided it was now or never.

"Inca wait! I'm sorry I didn't mean it!" He called and ran after her down the hall. She turned around briefly to confront him and poked him in the chest.

"No that's it I've had it. You never seem to –" But she didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when his lips crashed into hers. For a moment she forgot everything, her finger still aloft between them just feeling his hand on her cheek his touch gentle and soft. Then she relaxed from the shock and hesitantly placed her hand over the spot she had stabbed repentantly with her finger easing into the magical kiss that took her breath away within an instant.

" –understand" Inca said dazed when they pulled away. She blinked a couple of times and stumbled slightly to his amusement that she seemed so star struck and confused by everything. "Oh shit."

And with that she passed out.

* * *

 **So they kissed! Twice! *celebrates* So yeah that happened, it can only go up from here right? Hee hee... As always let me know what you thought because I really appriciate it! x**


	11. Goldrush

**"I love real people, hard to come by, but when you find them, it's golden."**

 **\- Ed Sheeran**

 **Big thanks to mystique999 for following this, I love you!**

 **lovingthisbook – I'm glad you like her! There will be more Noly in the next chapter and some Thorin/Dis in future as well!**

 **FiliandKili'sgirl18 – Wooo! Nothing horrible just yet, you'll have to wait if you want some. :)**

 **Aranel Mereneth – I agree it will take them some time and they might need a bit of help. I'll try and mix Dis' personality up a bit in future as well**

 **Sarah March – Kili may already be in love... although nothing's set in stone yet so I'm open for suggestions!**

* * *

Goldrush

"Ah there you are..." Kili bounded down the corridors hastily tucking his shirt back into his trousers and rearranging his tunic. His smile dropped though when he saw the situation his brother was in.

Fili was stood in the middle of a dark corridor holding the limp body of Inca in his arms with her feet dragging on the floor and a clear look of confusion and panic spread across his face. He had not moved in fear of possibilities or hurting her and so had froze as soon as he caught her unconscious figure.

"... And how did this happen?" Kili asked hesitantly after taking in the picture and looking back up to his brothers worried eyes. "You kissed her didn't you!" The brunette suddenly broke a grin and went to clap his brother on the shoulder who in turn just glared at him.

"Well at least I wasn't doing the deed with that blonde of yours" he retorted back and Kili's teasing grin vanished into a pout.

"Hey! We were not doing the deed." He tried to say with certainty but his quivering face broke his cover. "We weren't, I swear! We were simply passing the time with other activities... Now back onto you."

"Well we had a small disagreement and she threatened to leave again so -"

"So you kissed her." Kili finished off the statement and his brother nodded guilty a flush of red tinting his cheeks.

"But then she fainted!" Fili added shaking Inca slightly to emphasise the point and Kili only laughed again.

"Come on, I'll get her some water."

* * *

Inca woke curled up in her bedsheets. She stretched out slightly curling her back like a cat with her eyes half closed. Suddenly they shot open and she jolted upright kicking the duvet away from her by accident. How she got into her room she didn't know. All she could remember was the kiss, the KISS! And the fact that she had a pounding headache and a clear hangover.

For half the day she gave up on 'living' and instead stayed in bed catching up on sleep and trying to nurse her groggy state back to normal. She wasn't alone with this endeavour as through the stone walls and wooden doors she could hear her siblings groaning in their similar morning nightmare.

Eventually with a final groan, Inca swung her legs over the side of the bed and staggered out of her room falling straight back down onto the sofa.

"And how are you this morning?" Sady said softly from her seat in the kitchen, sipping coffee to ease her own sleepy headache.

"Ugh." Was all Inca could say looking up at the ceiling, her fingers absentmindedly fiddling with themselves. "How did I get here? I can't remember anything."

"Well, after you kissed the Prince…" Sady's eyes sparkled with excitement and mischief and she grinned at her sister groaning at the memory and covering her eyes with her hand. "You left for about an hour or so? Something like that. Well anyway, me and Nols got bored of waiting for you so we went home then you fell through the door and we had to put you too bed."

Inca gave an embarrassed chuckle and when her sister joined in with her own small giggles they ended up bursting into laughter.

"Would you too keep it down!" Noly shouted through the walls only causing them to laugh harder and even though he was trying to hold a grudge they heard Noly join in as well. When the laughter finally died down and it returned to comfortable silence a grumble ran through Inca emanating from her stomach.

"What food have we got?"

"Not much, one of us will have to go to Dale tomorrow to grab everything we need to properly start living here." Inca sighed and got off the couch, the pounding in her head reducing as the afternoon passed.

"I'll go I guess." She said rubbing the back of her neck and stretching out again.

"Have fun walking all the way then." Sady replied with an innocent smile and returned to the book she had been reading – The Imperfect Fairytale.

* * *

Inca walked through Erebor towards the market, the only place that she actually knew directions too, and moved through the crowd towards the end of the large sloping room. At the end of the market was the stables and the main travelling entrance to the Mountain. She looked across the rides on display briefly and then walked into the small shop next to it.

"Excuse me? I was wondering if I could buy a horse?" She asked tentatively to an older dwarf currently burrowed in a book on his counter. He raised his head at the voice and peered through his glasses at her with a smile.

"Of course. What exactly are you looking for?" He asked her glad to have a customer.

"Well… I guess I'd like something with a bit of character? Quite athletic, young maybe a bit reckless?" She asked naming all the things she had loved about her previous steed, thinking about to good memories making her subconsciously smile.

"Well, I think we have just the horse for you." He smiled and stepped out from behind the counter and led Inca to a door leading to the main stables.

He walked her down a hallway with horses and ponies snorting and nuzzling at her as they passed them, some trying their hardest to get noticed by attempting to kick their stable door down. He stopped next to a door that seemed to be empty but at the arrival of a person a pastel sandy head popped out and gently nuzzled the man's face causing him to laugh.

The horse turned to look at Inca who was stood next to the shopkeeper and it seemed to bow its head acknowledging her with its rich dark eyes. The man smiled and raised his hand to scratch behind the horse's ear causing it to lean into his touch appreciatively. The sight of the animal's special characteristics and actions made Inca laugh under her breath and smile, reaching her own hand up to pat its neck.

"This is… well he doesn't really have a name." The man smiled at the horse who seemed to smile back with his eyes. "He's five years old and once you gain his trust he will be loyal to a fault. He's extremely smart, stupidly brave and can get defensive. One of the fastest and most resilient horses I've ever come across, would run forever if he could. So he fits your bill perfectly."

Inca smiled at the success and gently stroked down the horses nose letting it sniff at her hand, but then a questioning frown came across her face.

"He seems perfect. So why hasn't he already been bought?" She asked with a furrowed brow tilting her head at the man whose hopeful smile faded and he shuffled his feet around hoping to have brushed over the horses flaws.

"Well he's also very stubborn. If he doesn't want to do it he won't. He's also quite picky about who he trusts. Previous people who have been interested in him have not had the same feeling from him. I guess he's got a wild side that people don't like. Nowadays people want rides that are obedient and do what you want them too, he… has more character I guess." The man sighed thinking he had blown the possibility of selling a horse but Inca only laughed lightly and continued to caress the horse who wriggled under her hand in joy.

"He sounds perfect for me then – well that is if he'll have me." She added hesitantly not wanting to get her hopes up just to have the animal knock them down.

"Well he seems to have taken a shine to you at the moment. You can take him out for a test ride if you want." Inca nodded enthusiastically at the man's suggestion. But his eyes flicked past her shoulder briefly and he stepped into the middle of the hall and into a bow. "Ah Prince Kili, how good it is to see you."

Inca flicked her head around at lightning speed to see the cheeky grin on the brunettes face and she groaned internally, hoping the confrontation wouldn't last long.

"Good to see you too, and please, just Kili." He smiled and briefly embraced the older man. "Hi Inca, don't go fainting on me."

"How did you –" She asked surprised that he knew of that. She had only remembered bits of the night before but had managed to piece them together in her head to get a pretty good idea of what had happened.

"Well you didn't think you got home alone now did you?" He teased his eyes lighting up. "Now, is it alright if I take Minty out?"

"Of course, in fact this young lady was just about to take a horse out for a ride herself, maybe you could accompany each other." Inca wanted to say no but thought better of it and instead stayed silent.

"Yeah why not?" Inca internally curled up into a ball but on the outside slowly nodded as to not be rude.

"Well I will get your new horse ready then Miss Inca."

* * *

"How was he Miss Inca?" The man asked when she skid off the saddle and walked the horse forward with an easy smile on her face. Her free hand was resting on the horse's nose gently running lines up and down its light gold face.

"He was amazing. I'd like to buy him if you don't mind." She replied happily handing the horses rains to the man. The ride with Kili had been refreshing and she had enjoyed catching up with him. Unlike with his brother, the conversation flowed easily like their friendship had never broken and she felt completely at ease with him laughter chiming along with the banter.

"Well that's wonderful, you've made a friend for life in him." He grinned gently rubbing the horses neck. "Have you thought of a name?"

"I was thinking of something like Goldrush."

"A lovely name, it suits him perfectly."

After they had exchanged money and Inca had said goodbye to Goldrush her and Kili walked back through Erebor, still chatting away.

"So will you think about what I said?" Kili asked raising an eyebrow and looking at Inca whilst they walked along the stone corridors, grinning to people as they passed.

"No." Inca replied rather bluntly but with a smile.

"Why not?" he tilted his head, eyebrows furrowing but with an inquisitive smirk on his face anyway, not allowing himself to be fully concerned as he knew she would do what he said she would.

"Because I don't- I can't love him." She tried to explain sighing and flopping her hands down to her sides. She looked at the prince who said nothing but was clearly confused and wanting a more detailed explanation. "He's a prince for crying out loud! One day he'll be King and he'll need someone more than me, he'll need a Queen."

"But you're descendants of Royal blood."

"Lost descendants and with _human_ blood in us. Frankly it's remarkable that Thorin let you get so close to us." Inca sighed again rubbing her nose slightly. "I can't love him Kili, and he needs to understand that he can't love me. Don't you have a meeting to go to?"

Kili's mouth fell open when he realised how long he had been out. "Oh shit. I'll see you later! Think about it!" He called whilst running away from her down the corridors and disappearing down a flight of stairs. Inca was just about to turn around and walk back down the corridor when the Prince appeared again.

"Will you be competing in next week's games?" He called between pants.

"Yes!" She shouted back and his face lit up with a brief smile before he ran off again.

"I'll see you then! And don't forget what I said!"

* * *

"Am I late?" Kili burst through the door and ran to the empty seat of the council with everyone eyeing him. He sat bubbling flicking his gaze around at everyone else's with a confused expression until it landed on Fili who was struggling to hold it together.

"We were just finishing." Thorin spoke flatly, his voice monotone and empty of emotion. His eyebrow raised at his youngest nephew in curiosity. "Where were yo?"

"I went for a ride and caught up with an old friend." Kili explained hastily glancing at his brother briefly and Thorin sighed in dramatic exasperation.

"Well we've finished for today. Thank you for your council, I look forward to our next meeting." Thorin announced and they began to stand and walk out of the room. When everyone else had left he turned back to his nephews and fixed them with a stern gaze.

"I understand that you may want to spend time with them, in fact I expect it. But what I do not expect is that you will forget your duties." He said gruffly and they nodded their heads. His steely face soon broke though into a small smile.

"Although your suggestions are normally irrelevant to the subject matter, they make me laugh and I'd like you to attend these meetings as frankly without you two they'd be extremely dull."

They exchanged a small chuckle between them and slowly began to stand up. "We'll make sure we're always here Thorin." Fili said with a small smile.

"Uncle." The King corrected reflecting the smirk.

"Uncle." They reiterated.

 **Sorry there wasn't much Fili in this one I just wanted to, well i don't really know what was up with this chapter so sorry it was a bit of a filler. Let me know what you thought anyway though because I love reading your reviews! Thank's for reading!**


	12. Strangers with Memories

**"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart and I'll stay there forever."**

 **\- Winnie the Pooh**

* * *

 **Big thanks to luvgirl101 and Camilla Langdon for following this story! I'm so sorry it took me so long to update, I've been on holiday so didn't find much time to write and it might be the ame for the next five weeks so sorry about that! I hope you're all having a great summer though wherever you may be! Oh and if you see any spelling mistakes please let me know because I often write these on my phone and you all know how annoying auto correct can be...**

 **lovingthisbook - I don't know if a dwarf would be able to ride a horse but because Inca's family has some human blood in (I can't remember if that's actually been mentioned, so sorry if it hasn't) I reckon they would be able to.**

* * *

Strangers with Memories

They grinned as they walked into the stadium, unable to help themselves from gazing at its magnificence despite being enclosed by stone along with the rest of the Kingdom. Inca and Noly had left early that morning to train for the up and coming games that were soon to be a rekindled tradition.

Looking around the sand arena and the jade stands they were right to come early as there were only two other dwarves within the oval.

"Hey! Inca! Noly!" Kili shouted from the middle of the arena, stood next to his brother who was currently slashing up a straw dummy.

"Fancy seeing you here!" Inca called back, their singular friendship already stronger after the catch up they'd had and so she felt comfortable around him.

His brother however? That was a different story.

It's not that she wasn't happy to see him, for whenever she did he sent a swarm of butterflies to bounce around her stomach, it was just that she felt rather awkward around him after everything that had happened between them. She had already made some spontaneous mistakes with him regarding the kiss, and despite thoroughly enjoying it she had to remember to keep her cool.

Fili was in exactly the same boat as her. The world seemed to move in slow motion as she ran towards them. His eyes scanned her body and ended up on the matching ruby around her neck to avoid possible and rather embarrassing bodily functions attached to arousal. His hand subconsciously moved to clutch his own pendent as he used all his will power to shove the thoughts of her lips out of his brain and stay calm. Although it was rather hard for him to stay calm when she gave his brother a short hug as a greeting and a prickle of jealousy shot down his spine at the friendly intimacy.

"Well you two certainly haven't changed." Noly observed him to bringing them in for short hugs, except Fili was not missed out this time. "I can't believe you two are royalty."

"Well to be honest all I do is eat the cake in meetings." Kili joked. Being the second in line he was not seen as important and didn't carry nearly as much responsibilities as his uncle or brother did, gaining him more free time and less of a stern grip on his personal life.

"Well you only get cake to the meetings you attend. So, luckily for _Talia_ , you're not getting fat." The comment gained Fili a shard elbow to the ribs but he only chuckled and gave a smug smirk.

"Talia? You never mentioned you had a missus Kili!" Inca exclaimed, excited about the prospects of teasing material and because she was genuinely happy for her friend.

"She's not my missus."

"That's what you want us to believe." Noly chimed in, only giving the brunette further reason to blush. "Anyway, we're here to train for the games."

"We would be, except we aren't actually allowed to take part." Fili grumbled, clearly sore about being left out.

"That's a shame. I was looking forward to beating you in front of everyone." Inca sounded just as sincere as mocking but it didn't matter to Fili who found himself captured and strung up in her, shortly followed with a mental slap.

"Oh really?" Kili taunted back and twirled his sword. "Let's see if you're all bark and no bite."

"Oh I'll only bite of you want me too. But I'll leave that to this 'Talia'." Inca winked seductively and pulled her own blade out. The pair walked into the sparring box and took up their stance, eyeing each other up at the same time.

"Oh, just a disclaimer: it's still quite early so I might not be at my best today." Inca jested smiling sweetly at her opponent.

"Excuses excuses."

"I try."

"Come on Inca! Kick his ass!"

"No don't kick his ass, I don't think _Talia_ would appreciate it all that much."

"Fee! You're meant to be on my side!"

"Oh stop your whining." Inca said and trust her sword quickly towards him only giving him the slight chance to react.

After playing several rounds more people entered the arena to train and it was coming up to midday. The sparring pair at that current moment was the two twins and it was neck and neck.

The clashing of steel had quietened within the smaller ring and had turned to more of a grind as they caught each other's swords and faced each other. Blade to blade, eye to eye. Suddenly Inca raised an eyebrow and smirked at her brother, sending him into enough confusion to let her foot kick his out from underneath him and send him sprawling to the ground.

"Hey that's cheating!" He whined from the floor as she placed her blade to his throat as a sign of dominance.

"You fight dirty." Fili commented after he returned from his laughter at the sudden turn in events.

"I prefer to use the term 'outsmarted'. Besides it's more fun." She retorted with a smile that gave his heart wings and another mental slap.

"Mahal I am starving!" Kili exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air and then to clutch his rumbling belly.

"Yeah, who knew kicking ass could burn so many calories." Inca teased and he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Maybe we should get some food then."

"I second that."

"Third."

"Fourth."

They picked up their discarded weapons and began to make their way out of the stadium, walking past the many other dwarves brandishing weapons and fighting. They laughed easily at short comments and jokes that passed between the four of them and Inca often found herself catching Fili's eye and blushing slightly when he smirked at her.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" He said quietly in her ear and they stopped walking letting the other carry on nearly without noticing.

"Why have you stopped?"

"We'll catch up. The Brandy Boot right?"

"Yep."

"We'll see you in a bit."

"See you."

Kili and Noly both continued until they had completely left the stadium and were a way in front of the other two.

"They're totally gonna kiss, right?"

"Totally."

* * *

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" Inca asked hesitantly.

It was no lie that now the other two had left she felt rather awkward being with just Fili. She wasn't even sure why she asked the question as she already had a pretty good idea about what the topic of conversation would be after the build up of silent sexual tension between them.

"I think you know." He replied rather quietly struggling to hold firm eye contact.

"I think I do."

It was strange how suddenly shy they had become after a morning of easy confidence and friendship. Neither of them normally had an issue talking to strangers and socializing so it was strange for them to both find the anticipation of their relationship cause them such anxiety. Maybe it was the intimate subject and the privacy of the moment that made them blush like children, maybe it was because of the memories that they both wished to relive, or maybe it was a bit of both.

"Inca, what happened at the dance a couple of days ago... I can't get it off of my mind.. I just -" his voice failed him. There was so much he wanted to say, the speeches he had mental prepared and practiced when he couldn't sleep at night, the fact that what he wanted to say could not possibly be put into words only actions, but he did not know if those actions were the right thing to do.

"I feel the same way Fili. I want to say I'm sorry, for lashing out at you like I did."

"No it's me that should be sorry. I overreacted. I was just so overwhelmed with emotions that you were here and you were alive."

Silence fell willingly. Words were not needed as they said everything they needed to say with their eyes. Their matching crystal eyes that seemingly travelled over the others features as they unknowingly moved closer together. Fili's hand gently reached out to brush through the auburn fire falling down Inca's shoulder and he found himself captivated by the way it moved through his fingers like soft water. Inca's hand also went to the others hair. She tentatively ran her hand along one of the butterscotch braids and twirled the bead between her fingers, studying the carved patterns within the silver.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Inca said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as she still gently fiddled with the silver bead.

"What do you mean?" Fili bought his own eyes to look into hers, pulling them both away from each other's hair and realizing how close they were to each other and neither of them deciding to step back.

"Well, don't you think this is all a bit strange. I feel like I'm rushing into something because I don't really know you. I haven't known you for fifty six years and although it feels like there hasn't been any time since then, we're only strangers really. Strangers with memories." She spoke so softly that any hint of rejection disappeared from her words.

"As long as we wear these," Fili held the ruby pendent in his hand and she mirrored the action completely understanding without need of further explanation. "We will never be strangers."

They shared a smile and Fili's hand moved from his neck to Inca's cheek. His calloused hand being so careful and gentle against her skin as he lightly cupped her face, not restricting her movement or keeping her there. She found her own hands winding their way up to his neck and back, lazily drawing circles with her finger as their eyes melted into each other.

"May I kiss you?" Fili whispered and a small smile spread across her face.

"Ugh not again!" She joked and quickly raised on her toes to meet his lips, their eyes flickering shut.

They stayed still. Time froze for them and they formed a colourful bubble around themselves as they remained together simply enjoying the buzz. Soon they began to move and the kiss became passionate but still slow and meaningful. But their kiss fell short as a grin fell upon Inca causing her to pull away from his lips but stay within inches in case worse came to worse and she had to kiss him again.

"And I thought you said we needed to talk." She giggled and they pushed further together so their chests were practically conjoined.

"We did talk, but kissing is more fun." He smirked back and she closed her eyes letting her head find the crook of his neck.

"Come on they'll be waiting for us." She said and willed herself to step away from his oh so cosy chest but couldn't find the strength.

"No, they can wait a while longer."

"Fili you know we're still in the stadium right?" Instead of pulling away she snuggles closer and his arms wrapped around her tighter. "So we should probably go."

"No, I'm hugging you here and I can't walk and hug you so I'm afraid we're gonna have to say here for now." He smiled but his eyes were closed along with hers.

"Are you always going to say no to my suggestions?"

"No."

"You literally just proved my point." She giggled slightly under her breath along with him at the irony.

"No, it depends what the suggestion is, because I will most definitely be saying yes to some of your suggestions." He said rather suggestively and she pulled her head out of his chest to face him with her own smirk.

"Oh, well, would you like another kiss?"

"I most certainly would." He replied huskily and Inca leaned in so their noses were millimeters apart.

"Well tough tits because we don't have time."

And with that she wriggled out of his grasp with a grin and began walking off leaving him shaking his head and chuckling.

"You didn't even use the word yes!" She called over her shoulder. "Come on I'm hungry!"

* * *

 **Whoop Whoop! So I may have accidentally not been able to restrain from them having another kiss. Oops. Sorry if Kili's love interest was mentioned with a different name in previous chapters but she's going to be called Talia if that's alright with yeah sorry again it took so long to update and this is so short as well as not much happening in it but I guess I kind of wanted to build their relationship up but maybe I'm moving it along too fast. Let me know what you think because I'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions!**

 **Thanks again for reading this!**

 ***muah***


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